Evelina Vorontsova has been my student for many years - first in the Central Music School at the Moscow Conservatory, then as a student and graduate student at the Moscow Conservatory. At one time, her talent and creative personality fascinated Yehudi Menuhin, when she had the opportunity to play for him at his home in London, after which he honored her with performing in one of the concerts of his orchestra headed by him in Moscow. For many years now I have been conducting master classes in various countries - in Europe, Japan, China, and every year in the Netherlands at the Holland Music Sessions. When I am in the Netherlands Evelina Vorontsova shows me the development of her students, and I can highly appreciate the professional level of their preparation of technique, touche and sense of form and style.
Knowing Evelina since the age of 11 we went through the same stages of music development at the Central Music School and the Moscow State Conservatory. This trajectory from Central Music School to the postgraduate studies of the State Conservatory has given Evelina the extensive pedagogical toolkit which is needed to work with young children and students intensely, and to prepare them for pianist careers on a very high level. The playing of Evelina has always had a beautiful, unique, colourful sound which touches the public regardless of repertoire played. Playing myself in the Netherlands on a regular basis has provided me the opportunity to not only hear Evelina play, but also meet some of her pupils over the years. Listening to them I witnessed Evelinas very special pedagogical talent.
I am one of the editors of the school of the Nikolaev piano method. This school of Nikolaev is the most popular one in Russia and has also gained popularity outside of Russia. The method is the quintessence of generations of teachers and pianists who passed on the pieces assembled for the method. The parents of Evelina used this method most of their careers in their teaching, and Evelina is using the method very successfully in the Netherlands for more than 25 years now. The recent final in the Steinway competition of one of her pupils is the result of this method; passed on through me, her parents, and Evelina herself, to her pupil. Aside from her pedagogical talents Evelina is a very talented and well formed musician who has been a prizewinner of international competitions and has recorded varying repertoire. I am continuously following her developing career. With great satisfaction I am taking note of her mastership in pedagogy and artistic work and I am in great admiration of her faithfulness to the music.
I am the initiator of the Sweelinck Academy of the Conservatory of Amsterdam, the first music school of its kind for young talent in the Netherlands. In 1976 I went to Moscow to study the Russian piano sound with masterpianist Yevgeny Moguilevsky, and now Evelina Vorontsova is here, the Russian School in vivo in Amsterdam. Evelina trains her pupils in the best way of the Russian tradition, with a great sense of richness of sound, a amazing use of all technical skills, flexibility, excellent use of the wrist, finger articulation, weight play, speed, accuracy in the rendering of the text. In addition to being an exceptionally professional teacher Evelina is also very committed and dedicated to the development of her pupils. During the last Steinway competitions the audience and jury were very much impressed by the level and repertoire of her young student. Evelina Vorontsova is also a great concert pianist with impressing albums; especially her fabulous Rachmaninoff recordings I truly love and admire. Evelina's performances and teaching have great artistry which she passes on in a dedicated way to her pupils.