Do you remember the tale of Cinderella? A beautiful hardworking girl get one magic chance and…
I had just a chance to talk to Ksenia Sidorova, a young, unusually talented, world-famous accordionist about such magical opportunities, accordion and small goals. Yes, you heard right. This youthful fragile creation works with a classic accordion.
— Ksenia, is this your first tour in Australia?
— This is the first time I come to Australia as a solo musician. The first time I was in Australia was about five years ago. We participated in the Townsville Music Festival. And now I am back as a solo artist.
— What are your first impressions of Australia?
— I already had an opportunity to perform in in Adelaide. The public in Australia is just extraordinary, very responsive.
— What program did you bring with you this time?
— This is a kind of mix of classical and popular accordion music. There are a lot of Russian composers in my program, unknown to many, but whom I would like to show, such as Alexei Arkhipovsky, Anatoly Kusyakov and Vyacheslav Semenov. There are works by Bach, Schnittke and, of course, Piazzolla. This is at the request of the tour organizers themselves.
— The day after the concert you are giving master class. Who are you looking forward to? What would you like to share with participants?
— I wanted everyone who submitted applications to come, but the organizers chose only one participant. We will work on his piece with him. Then, I will show you what else you can do with the instrument. And we will talk about the school of accordion-playing is going, what trends and directions there or will be.
— And where is the school of accordion-playing goin?
— The school is definitely moving forward. There are extraordinary talented people from the most bizarre corners of the world. If only recently there was practically no mention of accordion, now almost every serious orchestra or hall has an accordion.
— But how did accordion happen to you?
— It was my grandmother’s idea. I was born and raised in Riga Latvia, but spent my summers with my grandparents in Ural Russia. When I was about six, even before school, my grandmother got an idea that it would be great for granddaughter to learn to play an instruments. Just by chance, there was an accordion in someone’s attic. The rest as they say, is history. Initially, my parents were not happy with this development, but… The entrance exams at music school I sat for accordion. Many people were surprised as the exams for accordion were usually sat by people who failed piano.
— How did a little girl drag such big and heavy instrument to music school?
— At first there were training models. They were smaller and lighter. My current instrument weighs 21 kg. My grandmother even regretted giving me the accordion at some point. The poor child has to carry a huge, heavy instrument. But it is too late now. On the plus side, my instrument is always at hand.
— Is the instrument you play now is your very first or have you already changed a few? And is it hard to get used to a new instrument?
— This is my fifth accordion so far. It is the very latest, improved model. You get used to good things very quickly. There are, of course, some nuances in technical aspects. But still, I get used to it quickly and I love my instruments very much.
— Do you remember the very first piece you performed on stage?
— Yes, it was a piece of folk music, children song about Granny and her geese. The stage was the very first and biggest - the stage of my music school. Everything got easier after that.
You performed at many concert halls across the world. Which one did you like the most?
Most recently I was honoured to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York. This opportunity is a very big thing for any musician. My husband, my parents, my manager – all came to support me. The audience was amazing. It was unforgettable.
— Which of the musicians would you like to work with?
— Oh, this list would be endless. However, there are some collaborations I would like to return to. I would love to perform with Sting again. The experience was inspiring and unforgettable. I would like to repeat it.
If there would be a fairytale written about you, what would be the tale of Ksenia Sidorova?
It would be a tale about Cinderella and magical chances. I didn't even get to finish high school. At the age of 16 I went to London on the scholarship from the Royal Academy of Music. They gave me an ultimatum: now or never. My parents made the decision to let me go. I have left. When my classmates were dancing at the prom, I already studied at the academy. In my private life the same ‘magic: we met. Three months later we got engaged.
— Your tale carries on
— I can say that yes, it does. I grew up in Riga, lived in London for over ten years. Now I have been living in Madrid for two years. This year, for the first time in many years, at Christmas and New Year's Eve I will be at home. My husband and I will go to the north of Spain, to his relatives. It’s magic.
— But musician Ksenia Sidorova is not going to stop
— Definitely not. I am constantly at work, searching, improving, and practicing. Family is my everything. I can rest at home, gain strength and recharge my drive. My loved ones are my ‘batteries’. Thanks to them I can go on stage and do what I love. And I always set small goals. After all, small goals make great wonders, right?
I tend to agree. The tale of Cinderella from Riga continues. There are many projects and plans. It remains only to wish her good luck and wait for the next tour.
