Youth Attacks Piano

Your average Russian teenager can often be founded engrossed in a "brick" game or jostling with his mates on the metro.

One young St Petersburger's intense and shy passion sees him moving in a quieter, but perhaps wider world.

Since the age of five, Dmitry Sokolov has spent countless hours at the piano, placing him among at the top among his generation performers.

Already a world-traveler, Sokolov, 16, will perform at Lincoln Center's Alice Tulley Hall in New York in April.

He has also performed at all the major local concert halls and recently performed during a joint-concert with American pianist John Bell Young at the Samoilev Museum sponsored by Americom Business Center.

Although accustomed to performing in front of large audiences, Sokolov answered questions about his playing with a touch of shyness. His main goal, he says simply, is, "To be a good pianist."

Once sitting at the piano, his shyness disappears. Attacking Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition," the young artist's inner voice flowed from the piano strings with confidence and assurance.

His teacher, Sergei Dzevanovsky, who now heads the Glinka Boys' Choir School, has been watching his pupil's progress for 10 years.

When he was first asked to teach the young student, Mr Dzevanovsky, was reluctant. "I don't like to work with such young children," he said, quite apologetically.

He agreed to take Sokolov on as a favor to a friend, and was immediately glad he did.

"To my surprise, he didn't forget anything," Mr Dzevanovsky said. "He did what you asked and learned what you taught."

That ability has remained one of his strengths. Sokolov has developed a large repertoire which he can rely on for performances.

"He has a unique ability to handle a large number of works," his teacher said. "You don't often find that in such young people."

Sokolov shyly admits he realized his own talent almost from the start.

Although the choice to study piano was his parents', he said he knew it was the right decision even then. "I liked it right away," he said. "I felt that it would be my calling."

Mr Dzevanovsky taught Sokolov at home for two years. When Sokolov was seven, he enrolled as a student in the choir school, an all-boys music school founded by Ivan III and brought to St Petersburg by Peter the Great.

The school teaches boys 7-17 in both musical and academic topics.

Sokolov performed solo for the first time at the Cappella while only in the first class. When he was nine, he performed in England and traveled to America for the first time in 1990.

This year he performed at Glenmary Hall in Atlanta, Georgia, for an audience of more than 1,000. "The more people there are, the more I try to prepare and concentrate," he said.

Music takes up most of his time, first studies at school and then practice at home. Sokolov said he finishes up his home practice time early enough so as not to disturb the neighbors.

While performing, Sokolov focuses a lot of attention on exploring the composer's thoughts. "I try to concentrate on the composer's meaning and give that to the audience," he said.

His concentration is apparent during his performances, as he stares intently into the air just above the open back of the grand piano, trying to find just the right interpretation.

"If the piano responds the way I want, then I'm really happy," he said.