Today we’d like to introduce you to Dace Sultanov.
Dace, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was the wife of Alexei Sultanov, the love of my live and the winner of the 8th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth. When Alexei won the competition back in 1989 at age of 19, he wanted to share his success with me. He wanted me to experience and to be there at his magnificent concerts and shows. He wanted to share his life with me. At that time we were poor students at Moscow Music Conservatory, and the Soviet Union was still existing.
There are lots of stories, canceled concert etc, regarding Alexei finding ways of how to get me to the US. For more details please go to this youtube link from 2016 Alexei’s tribute concert and hear me share some of the stories from our life together: start from 24:40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3bfQn1Rle0
I do the tribute concerts every year. And this year’s Alexei Sultanov’s tribute concert will take place on Tuesday, May 8th at 7 PM at Sanctuary of First United Methodist Church downtown Fort Worth.
Has it been a smooth road?
Please watch me sharing this story from 40:50 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3bfQn1Rle0
Tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am just a regular Jo (Josefina) who happens to play the cello, which is my best therapy (please hear more of the stories regarding my cello from the same tribute concert) I play for weddings, parties, at the concerts, play for seniors at the retirement communities, nursing home.
Last autumn my friend and I started to do the yoga cello sessions for dementia day care residents at James L West and discovered that they are responding to yoga cello remarkably well.
For more details please read the 360 West Magazine February issue, page #106file:///C:/Users/D/Desktop/360%20West%20360%20West%20February%202018.html
–http://digital.360westmagazine.com/publication/?i=471683&ver=html5&p=108#
She might be watching with joy as the setting sun paints the sky with blends of colors, or noticing the chubby caterpillar chewing a leaf as he gets ready for the transformation that will soon occur. She might be giving a supportive hand to people in need, or blowing kisses to the mysterious moon rising in the night. Sometimes chasing the wind on her rollerblades, or making music on her exquisite cello—whatever she is doing, Dace Sultanov loves life and carries on her husband’s legacy of Be Inspired and Inspire Others.
Alexei Sultanov conquered the world with his phenomenal piano performances. In 1989, at age 19, he won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. This brilliant piano master was limitless in his ability to turn every note he played into a magical moment.
He was loved and admired by many. Only one decade after winning the Van Cliburn, Alexei was stricken with a serious illness and was left paralyzed. Though unable to speak or use his left hand, he eventually rose above this devastation and courageously played again. With his wife Dace and her cello, they played inspiring music in numerous venues, lifting people’s hearts and living out their mantra—Be Inspired and Inspire Others. They embodied their mantra by never giving up.
After Alexei’s passing, Dace’s cello was silent for a while but with time she felt again the enlightenment of her husband’s inspiration, and her cello came out of its cocoon, and like a butterfly, spread its wings of song. Dace dreams of honoring her husband’s memory by building Alexei’s Inspirational Fountain. She envisions spectacular glass sculpture where the colors of light turning the water into diamonds and Alexei’s music are fusing in a perpetual dance of life, to inspire and energize visitors and grace the landscape of Fort Worth.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Fort Worth has the coolest, the friendliest and the nicest people. I love that! I am the endless optimist, maybe that’s why I mostly see the good things around me. On the previous question I forgot to mention, that my day job for 12 years was working for a busy neurologist, multitasking at his clinic from taking care of the patients, billing, insurance, you name it, we did it.
And when the doc moved to the different state in autumn of 2017, I was unemployed for 3 months, but on January 2nd of 2018, the coldest day of the so far (23 degrees of Fahrenheit) I started a new job: It was gray, it was icy, it was cooold. The garden was in a deep wintry sleep. But as soon as I entered this place, I fell in love with it. I loved the energy resonating from the earth and space there. Every day I am so much looking forward to being there and to take care for trees, plants, garden. Even the 23-mile traffic drive on 35W is not stopping me of doing that or reconsidering any other jobs.
That place is Dudley Jack Rock and Stone, which now is filled with blooming trees, shrubs, spectacular cactus and many other plants. Anytime I have a concert or event to play at, my boss Ben kindly lets me leave early. Please come for a visit to Dudley Jack Rock and Stone. We play music there sometimes as well. And my boss is an artist- sculptor, painter, stained glass mosaics and much more. My dream is to build somewhere in Fort Worth Alexei’s inspirational Fountain ( hear about it at 49:14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3bfQn1Rle0) and my boss Ben is willing to build Alexei’s inspirational fountain.
Contact Info:
- Email: dacesultanov@gmail.com
- Facebook: Dace Sultanov
Image Credit:
Chuck Shanlever, Nellie Jennings, Aileen Hummel
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
