Alex Saratsky

Composer and jazz pianist

Ukraine

Author

About

Aleksandr Saratsky: born January 28, 1961 in Kiev, Ukraine, USSR. Parents: father – Naum Saratsky – engineer, mother – Alla Saratsky – music specialist, teacher. Went to school at six. 1975 finished 8 grades of general school and musical school #3 named after V.S. Kosenko on violin class. The same year entered the theoretical faculty of Kiev music academy named after R.M. Glier. 1973-75 years first tries in composing and interest in jazz. 1978 trip to Tbilisi for a jazz festival. 1979 - 1981 – military service in regiment band orchestra in Chernigov. 1981 - 1982 – worked as a keyboard player at "Tovtry" ensemble of Hmelnitsk philharmonic. There in Hmelnitsk met my future wife Alene Vasilyeva. 1982 - 1984, 1985 - 1986 – worked as a keyboard player at "Kaskad" ensemble of Pskov philharmonic. 1983 – Married. 1984 son Dmitriy Saratsky was born. 1983 – entered the theoretical faculty of Leningrad Conservatory named after N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. Graduated 1988 graduation paper "Fusion as a phenomenon in the modern music". Since 1987 worked as a musical director of "ХХ vek" ("ХХ century") band. Participated in many of national and international festivals together with this band - "Rock-Panorama" (Moscow 1987), in Lisbon 1987, in Barcelona 1988, appearance at "Inter-talent" (Prague 1989). 1995 founded "Dva plus..." ("Two plus...") ensemble, works with it till now. Different musicians along the years participated in the work of the ensemble such as: Maxim Gladetsky (double-bass), Maxim Kochetov (saxophone), Valery Kolesnikov (flute), Vladimir Molotkov (guitar), Andriy Kuzmenchuk (percussive), Lana Merkulova (vocal), Lilia Grevcova (vocal), Sergiy Rybalkin (guitar), Vladimir Voloshuk (double-bass), Igor Rudoy (saxophone), Dmitry Alexandrov (saxophone), Sergiy Makarov (double-bass), Vadim Balayan (percussive), Alexander Rukomoinikov (saxophone), Alexander Timchuk (percussive), Artem Mendelenko (saxophone), Svetlana Loboda (vocal), Natalya Gura (vocal) and many others. The permanent member of the ensemble is Aleksey Tuzov (vocal). "Dva plus..." ensemble participated in different jazz festivals and events, tours Ukraine and CIS, shows, corporate events, banquets and many other events. A. Saratsky issued two personal albums: in 2001 – "Dva plus…", in 2004 – "SaraBanda". Now working on issuing a new disk with jazz versions of Ukrainian folk songs. Aleksander Saratsky is the author of many works for pianoforte, camera ensembles, symphonic and band orchestras, jazz and rock ensembles. Composed music for the theatre ("Lion in winter", "Cat house"). Saratsky teaches at Kiev music Academy (conservatory) named after P.I. Chaikovsky, Evening music school #1 named after K. G. Stecenko and the Institute of Pop.

Videos

Sheets

Interview

What does music mean to you personally?

Everything (this is for me)

Do you agree that music is all about fantasy?

not only ... even more study, hard and invisible work ... and good luck

If you were not a professional musician, what would you have been?

no options ... a musician

The classical music audience is getting old, are you worried about the future?

I didn’t notice this ... everything will be fine ... I’m more worried about modern wars ...

What do you envision the role of music to be in the 21st century? Do you see that there is a transformation of this role?

music connects, merges, fuses with other forms of art and culture in general...

Do you think that the musician today needs to be more creative? What is the role of creativity in the musical process for you?

it seems to me that a musician must always be creative (both in the 15th century and in the 19th century and in the 21st) The act of Creativity is from God ... (or from the cosmos, as you like)

Do you think we as musicians can do something to attract the younger generation to music concerts? How would you do this?

Besides being a musician, I'm also a teacher... that's why this is the main and key task in my life... and judging by the reaction of my students, I succeed

Tell us about your creative process. What is your favorite piece (written by you) and how did you start working on it?

this is intimate, personal ... there is no beloved, just as there is no beloved child.. the main and favorite genre is the piano concerto...

Can you give some advice for young people who want to discover classical music for themselves?

read, listen, study... and seek...

Do you think about the audience when composing?

No

What projects are coming up? Do you experiment in your projects?

I write something that hasn't happened yet... I try to play in my own way... I combine and synthesize what is close to me, and what no one has done... <