Today we’d like to introduce you to Arsentiy Kharitonov.
Hi Arsentiy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I was born in southern Russia in a town of steelworkers. I was an ordinary kid as far as I can tell. I didn’t do well at school. That changed when I discovered that I was interested in acrobatic flying. I switched to attending a specialized flying high school. It lasted for three years until I started wearing glasses and had to drop out. That’s when I realized that I wanted to become a musician. Specifically, to play piano. For that, at the age of sixteen, I moved to the “cultural capital of Russia,” Saint Petersburg. There I was accepted to the prestigious College of Music of the Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory. And that’s how I started my music career as a classical pianist. In addition, I liked to improvise and compose at the piano, trying unorthodox paths to reach the top. Soon, to keep my career and to escape the Russian army, I decided to move to the United States as a student and received Bachelor, Masters, and Doctoral degrees from several universities. (Looking back, some of it was a total waste of time). But my official status as a student kept me safe and busy with my music and practicing. And so, in 2016, I had a debut at Carnegie Hall in NYC, which was included in “Six Best Concerts” of the season by the New York Observer. Nowadays, I live and work in Denton, TX. I have an agent in NYC who schedules various concerts for me to perform all around the US. I compose music (orchestral, chamber, and solo). My compositions are played by many wonderful musicians and ensembles. In the near future, there will be several world premieres of my symphonic works.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I was born in rural Russia in a bad environment at the end of the existence of the Soviet Union. My childhood happened to fall in the 1990s, which was a time of complete economic disaster in Russia. Both of my parents struggled to keep their jobs; the family situation was unstable. It was a very difficult transition between the environments when I had to move to St. Petersburg. In St. Petersburg, while pursuing my professional dreams, I lived in a communal apartment with neighbors that didn’t care for music in a very picturesque way. I also faced lots of challenges when I first moved to the US – both culturally and with the language. Professionally, there are always obstacles in classical music. It is a very demanding and oversaturated field. In addition, classical music is losing listeners due to dumbification of the audiences.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a composer. I am a concert pianist. As a composer, I write music that speaks to the ears and hearts of the listeners. Listening to my works is described by many as an emotional and transformative experience. I am proud of many of my works that have been performed by the great artists of today. These include: (“Reminiszenza” for solo cello, Concerto for Violin and Orchestra “Miroirs” that will be premiered in 2024 by Tulsa Symphony and Rossitza Goza, “Four Vignettes” for four violins as performed by ensemble ViolUNTi, my latest work is Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, which has a potential to become a major concerto of the 21 century.
What sets me apart from others is that I’m an autodidact in the best sense of this word. One of the greatest living American composers, Samuel Adler, has expressed this exact notion in his letter to me.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was a shy and impressionable kid. But due to the rough circumstances, I had to develop the other sides of my character.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arsentiykharitonov.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arsentiykharitonov/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArsentiyKharitonov
