Peta Stewart
It’s a pity that Dmitry Shishkin’s whirlwind trip to Cape Town is in a wet winter, but then, hey, it doesn’t matter because he has no time to sightsee.
He arrived late on the night of Tuesday 20 June, 2023, had a meeting with conductor Bernhard Gueller on the Wednesday at 9am, rehearsed Rachmaninov Piano Concerto no 3 with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra at 10am, practised the rest of the day, played the dress rehearsal on the Thursday morning to an excited audience, and the concert that night to a packed house and then spent the day practising for his recital on Saturday, 24 June for the Cape Town concert Series at 11am at The Cape Town City Hall before he leaves the city.
At least he saw a little of Cape Town when he was here pre-Covid, and astounded audiences with his Chopin.
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1
After the recital he is off, back to his home in Switzerland with a performance of Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 in Geneva almost immediately. And to give occasional master classes, which he fits into his extremely busy performing career, which includes mainly concerts with orchestras around the world and solo recitals with a little chamber music in the mix.
He has just completed a three-week tour of Italy, which included the very piano concerto he performs on Thursday 22 June. It’s a good thing travelling is a passion, and that in three weeks he again can see something of Italy!
Shishkin, Silver Medallist in the Tchaikovsky Competition in 2019, started on his path to fame early. When he was three his mother sensed his interest in music and arranged piano lessons for him. She has remained one of the greatest influences in his life, introducing him to this world of classical music from those early days. She saw what he always knew… this would be his life.
Geneva International Piano Competition
He gave his first recital at the age of three and performed with his first orchestra at the age of six! Since then he had won top prizes in the Busoni in Bolzano, Rio de Janeiro, Chopin in Warsaw and the Top of the World Competition in Tromso.
He loved the CPO on his last visit, which took place after he won the Geneva International Piano Competition in 2018 – the warm and welcoming audience which he felt again in the city, saying it was a joy to collaborate with them.
The next time he visits — and there will be a next time — let’s hope he has time to indulge in his love of nature, climb Table Mountain with two CPO musicians who take many of the orchestra’s artists to the top, and perhaps even take in some wild life.
Shishkin has one goal… to spread the joy of music to as many people as possible. We know he does just that!
Buy Cape Town Philharmonic and Dmitry Shishkin tickets at Quicket.
Who: Pianist Dmitry Shishkin with Cape Town Concert Series
What: Recital at the Cape Town City Hall
When: 24 June, 11am
WS
