| Anatoly Izotov – Vladimir Gapontsev guitar duo
Anatoly Izotov – Vladimir Gapontsev guitar duo is a creative union of two well-known russian musicians which combines high professional level, sublime musicality and brilliant technique. The programme of the duo consists of original works well as transcriptions of masterpieces of classical music such as Schubert’s sonata «Arpeggione», Beethoven’s «Moonlight» sonata ,«Polovian dances» by Borodin and others. The duo is founded in 2016 and despite of the yound age of this project the duo has an intence concert life. The duo’s recordings and performances are higly acclaimed by both audiences and critics.
| International «Guitar Magic» festival and competition in Saint-Petersburg
Since 2013 Anatoly Izotov is an organiser and artistic director of «Guitar Magic» International festival and competition in Saint-Petersburg. This is one of the biggest festivals in Russia. Every year it gathers some of the best guitarists of the world for concerts and masterclasses and best young guitar players for participating in the competition. During the festival there are several concerts in the best halls of Saint-Petersburg such as the Grand and Small halls of the Philarmonia.
Festival concerts have more than 1500 listeners every year. Among the artists of the festival there are: Assad duo, Kazuhito Yamashita, Irina Kulikova, Jeremy Jouve, Judicael Perroy, Gabriel Bianco, Marcin Dylla, Aniello Desiderio, Zoran Dukic, Andras Csaki,Johan Fostier, Adriano Del Sal, Goran Krivokapic, Antigoni Goni, Lorenzo Micheli,David Pavlovic, Vladimir Gapontsev,Dimitry Illarionov, Alexey Khorev, Vladimir Gorbac, Asya Selutina.
Competition winners of different years – Anton Baranov, Pavel Kuhta, Koshkin guitar duo, Vladimir Gapontsev, Kuzma Filimonov The festival is dedicated to the memory of the great teacher from Saint-Petersburg – Alexey Alexeevich Khorev.More information about festival - gmfestival.ru
| «Guitar Magic» summer guitar school in Leningrad region (since 2016)
Since 2016 Anatoly Izotov holds «Guitar Magic» summer guitar school. The main philosophy of this school is the opportunity to share the experience of famous musicians from different countries to the school participants. The school is held in a picturesque place near Luga, Leningrad region.
In this educational project informal environment mixes suprisingly well with a very intense schedule. Unique lectures which are a mix of creative experience and live interactive communication are prepared exclusively for every edition of the school. Besides the lectures the programme of the school includes masterclasses and concerts of teachers and students.
Since 2016 four editions have been held. The teachers were: Gabriel Bianco, Anatoly Izotov, Vladimir Gapontsev, Dimitry Illarionov, Alexey Khorev. Since then more than 50 young guitarists have had an opportunity to gain useful information and inspiration from true guitar professionals.
More information - Guitar School
Creative projects in which Anatoly Izotov
took part in different years.
«Triunfal Orquestra»
In 2009 a remarkable accordion player from Saint-Petersburg Alexei Statsenko founded «Triunfal Orquestra» which united some of the best musicians of the city. The base of the repertoire was Piazzolla’s music and famous argentinian tangos. The orchestra had great success on various stages of Russia. The high professional level of each of the musicians together with unique arrangements create an atmosphere of passion and refinement which is natural for tango music. The orchestra’s interpretaitions are always full of detailed nuances, precise articulation and fabulous ensemble work.
In 2009 «Triunfal Orquestra» played at the festival «Velvet tango» in Sebastopol. In 2010 in Saint-Petersbur Variety Theatre they presented a performance «In love with tango» featuring best dancers from Russia and Argentina. The band has an active concert life in Saint-Petersburg and plays a new programme every season gathering full audience.
«Music of unshot movies»
In 2012 composer and pianist Mikhail Ivanov (Honoured Artist of Russia, part of the famous «Ivanov brothers» alliance, Grand Prix winner of Euro Jazz contest in Bruxelles) gathered musicians for his new project – a musical performance «Music of unshot movies».
The project is based on Mikhail Ivanov’s own compositions. The ensemble concept is based on a new principle of group musical performance where each of the musicians is responsible for his own sphere of images and characters which is determined by the specific nature of his musical instrument.
Those images sometimes make a conflict but always join finally making a whole finished musical piece. Thus the audience witnesses how music is born from connecting the principles of symphonic development and improvised forms
Greek music ensemble «Methaphora» (since 2003)
This ensemble was created by greek composer Andreas Kameris. The repertoire is based on the
arrangemts of folk and modern greek music. During 15 years of the ensemble’s activities a lot of
good musicians took part in it. Anatoly Izotov is an active member of the band since its very
beginning. His main instrument is guitar, but in different periods he sometimes played bass
guitar and bouzuki. He also made more than 40 arrangements of greek and european music.
Solo thematic projects of Anatoly Izotov.
«A new era of guitar polyphony»
Close friendship and creative collaboration between Anatoly Izotov and composer Sergey Kravchuk has led to a project named «A new era of guitar polyphony». Perfectly knowing the guitar specific idioms Sergey Kravchuk has created a lot of unique music for the instrument. Kravchuk’s music is very polyphonic and has a very clear form which is combined with a modern music language. At the moment he has written 24 preludes anf fugues, 10 sonatas, several suites and miniatures. In this creative collaboration Anatoly acts not only as a performer but also as a creative inspirer and critic.
On the 19th of January, 2014 Anatoly presented a programme which only consisted of Kravchuk’s music. Now he regularly includes his music in his recitals as well. During the «Guitar Magic» festival a premiere of the Fugue for three guitars was performed by Gabriel Bianco, Anatoly Izotov and Dimitry Illarionov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwbsDwA0HIE
Besides Sergey Kravchuk Anatoly collaborates with modern composers such as: Yuri Smirnov (Saint-Petersburg), Viktor Kozlov (Chelyabinsk), Sergey Rudnev (Tula), Mikhail Ivanov (Moscow), Andreas Kameris (Cyprus), Michel Berkeley (GB). In 2013 Anatoly recorded a CD of music by Yuri Smirnov «Etching of Peterburg»
Yuri Smirnov – “The Iron Ruthenia” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wu_0ZjwsswMichel Berkeley – Nocturne for two guitars and ensemble, World Premiere. Guitars – A
Anatoly Izotov artist of SAVAREZ