Dmitri Bashkirov facts for kids

Dmitri Aleksandrovich Bashkirov (born November 1, 1931 – died March 7, 2021) was a famous Russian pianist and a respected music teacher. He learned to play piano in his hometown of Tbilisi and later in Moscow. His international career as a solo performer began when he won a big piano competition in Paris in 1955. Bashkirov taught music for many years at the Moscow Conservatory and later at the Queen Sofia College of Music in Madrid. He also taught as a guest teacher at other music schools around the world. He is known as an important part of the Russian piano tradition.

Dmitri Bashkirov's Early Life and Career

Dmitri Bashkirov was born in Tbilisi, which is in Georgia. He studied at the Tbilisi Conservatory for ten years. His teacher there was Anastasia Virsaladze. After that, he continued his studies at the Moscow Conservatory with Alexander Goldenweiser.

Becoming a Famous Pianist

In 1955, Dmitri Bashkirov won first prize at the Marguerite Long Piano Competition in Paris. This win helped him start performing concerts all over the world. He played with many famous orchestras, like the Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He also worked with well-known conductors such as Daniel Barenboim and Zubin Mehta.

Bashkirov also enjoyed playing chamber music, which is music for a small group of instruments. In 1968, he was honored as an Honored Artist of the RSFSR. For a few years in the 1980s, he was not allowed to perform outside Russia. However, this ban was lifted in 1988 by Mikhail Gorbachev. In 1990, he received another important award, becoming a People's Artist of the RSFSR.

Dmitri Bashkirov also made recordings of his piano playing. He recorded music by famous composers like Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Beethoven. People who listened to his recordings often said he had "unusual, highly imaginative interpretations." They noted his "lightness of touch and brilliant technique," especially in fast and romantic pieces.

A Dedicated Teacher

Dmitri Bashkirov was a very important teacher. He taught at the Moscow Conservatory from 1957 until 1991. In 1991, he moved to Madrid, Spain. There, he became the head of the piano department at the Reina Sofía School of Music when it first opened.

He taught many students who later became famous international artists themselves. Some of his well-known students include Arcadi Volodos, Kirill Gerstein, and his own daughter, Elena Bashkirova. He also taught at other top music schools around the world, such as the Shanghai Conservatory and the Paris Conservatoire. In 2006, he received a special award called the Grand Cross of the Order of Alfonso X the Wise. In 2019, he was honored by Queen Sofía of Spain for his teaching.

Judging Piano Competitions

Dmitri Bashkirov was often asked to be a judge at important piano competitions. He served on the jury for the Paloma O'Shea International Piano Competition in Santander several times. He also judged the Artur Rubinstein Competition in 1992, 1998, and 2011.

Family Life

Dmitri Bashkirov had a daughter named Elena Bashkirova, who is also a talented pianist. She is married to the famous conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim. His son, Kirill Bashkirov, is a photographer.

Dmitri Bashkirov passed away in Madrid, Spain, on March 7, 2021, at the age of 89.

See also

In Spanish: Dmitri Bashkírov para niños