OLGA SHISHKINA
GUSLI
… absolute virtuoso, fantastic playing… (Gotlands Tidningar, Sweden)
Biography
Olga Shishkina (b. 1985, St. Petersburg) is a prominent internationally active gusli artist. Originally coming from Russian classical school, Olga masterfully manages with a wide variety of genres such as classical, folkloric and jazz and has been a demanded soloist to participate in various projects by the leading names of the music industry.
She graduated summa cum laude from St. Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory where she studied gusli, piano, organ and orchestral conducting (2008) and later pursued postgraduate studies at Sibelius Academy (2012). In 2022 she graduated with the highest grade from the world’s preeminent Berklee College of Music.
Since 2022 she has been invited to teach at Rachmaninoff Conservatory in Paris. Shishkina has given lectures at Winstanley Lecture Theatre and Clare College at Cambridge University.
During last years she has collaborated with the leading names in the world music scene, played on the soundtracks to motion pictures and video games (Moscow Noir, Sweden, 2018, directed by Mikael Håfström, an Oscar-nominee; Torchlight 3, USA, 2020, music by Matt Uelmen). She composed and performed music to the documentary To Siberia, with my Love (Finland, 2017, directed by Peter Flinckenberg).
At the age of 16 she was awarded 2nd prize at the prestigious 6th All-Russian Competition for professional folk instruments players (2001, Tver) thus becoming the youngest prize-winner in the competition’s history. In 2011, she got the 3rd prize and the special prize from the Society of Finnish composers for the best performance of a modern music piece at the First International Kantele Competition (Helsinki, Finland).
In 2013, she performed together with the world-known jazz harpist and Grammy nominee Deborah Henson-Conant at Jazz Harp Festival (Leiden, Holland).
Olga has performed at several very prestigious concert venues: Rachmaninoff Conservatory (Paris, France), Maison russe des sciences et de la culture à Paris (Paris, France), Trinity Episcopal Church (Santa Barbara, California), Legacy Art Gallery (Santa Barbara, California), His Majesty Theatre (Aberdeen, Scotland), Royal Swedish Opera House (Stockholm), Aalmarktzaal (Leiden, the Netherlands), Junichi Watanabe
Literature Hall (Sapporo, Japan), Finlandia-talo (Helsinki, Finland), House of Culture (Moscow, Russia), Mariinsky Concert Hall (St. Petersburg), St. Petersburg State Capella, Grand and Small Philharmonic Halls (St. Petersburg) and others. Throughout her career Shishkina has given numerous performances both solo and with other musicians in the USA, Europe and Japan. She appeared at such festivals as Cambridge Summer Music Festival, Glasperlenspiel Festival, Kohti Viipuria, Aberdeen International Youth Festival and others. She has played with numerous symphony orchestras such as Mariinsky Orchestra, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Lapland Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, St. Petersburg Cappella Symphony Orchestra, etc.
Her first solo album “Con brillio” was released by Estonian Record Productions in 2010 where she explores the potential of the instrument to the fullest bringing it to the new level of virtuosity and expressivity. The CD represents the results of collaboration with the leading musicians of St. Petersburg.
Apart from extensive performing Shishkina was also asked to be a member of the jury of the 5th International Prahas Stepulis Chamber Music Competition (Šiauliai, Lithuania, 2017), International Kantele Competition (Petrozavodsk, 2014) and First International Kantele Competition (Helsinki, 2015).
Shishkina has taught at Andreev Music School in St. Petersburg and Helsinki Pop-Jazz Conservatory.
Gusli
Gusli (гусли) is the oldest Russian string instrument which origins dates back to the 11th century. It may have derived from ancient Egyptian and later Greek lyres and kytharas. Instruments related to gusli can be found in many countries around the world – there is kantele in Finland, kannel in Estonia, kanklės and kokle in Lithuania and Latvia, autoharp in the USA… It’s Asian relatives are Chinese gǔzhēng and Japanese koto. All these instruments are important national symbols but altogether they represent our common global musical heritage. The instrument that you can hear on this CD is a 15 string wing-shaped gusli which is one of the three existing types of the instrument – the other ones are helmet-shaped and chromatic gusli. This model was developed in the beginning of the 20th century by O. Smolenski and N. Privalov who wanted to create a true concert instrument suitable for the acoustics of a big hall. The construction of gusli was changed, and the tension of the strings became much thicker enabling to produce loud sound resembling the bells. Personally, I feel gusli as a very powerful and at the same time sensitive instrument that can express all the richness of human emotions. Even though it has a diatonic scale, the amount of sound colours and technical opportunities is so vast that for me there are no longer any limitations! My goal has always been to make gusli a well-known instrument and I believe it will find more and more fans around the world in the next years. I hope you will enjoy the experience of gusli music as much as I do!
Olga Shishkina
Recorsdings
CON BRILLIO
Compositions by Lemuan, Shirokov, Rimsky-Korsakov, Beethoven, Liadov, Kiskachi, Panin, Oskolkov, Larin, Khandoshkin and Russian folk music
2010
ERP 3310
A. Shirokov, Variations on a Russian Theme, fragment, 1 min 35 sec, mp3
P. Panin. Scherzo, fragment, 3 min 35 sec, mp3
I. Khandoshkin. Variations on a Russian Theme, fragment, 2 min 8 sec, mp3
Media reviews:
Olga’s performance on both Kantele and Gusli require tremendous performance skills to play effectively and musically in the jazz styles. Olga’s attention to the detail of accuracy to the song’s harmony, rhythmic style, and application of dynamics and articulation are evidence of her dedication and integrity. (Prof. Jim Odgren, Boston, USA)
I put Olga in a category with only one other person, flute virtuoso Pedro Eustache, in that both are totally unique masters of an instrumental world, with both being informed by jazz, classical and folk/world traditions at the highest level. (Matt Uelmen, USA)
Elokuvan musiikin on säveltänyt elokuvaa varten venäläinen kantelevirtuoosi Olga Shishkina. (Pasi Anttila, Viispiikkinen, 05.10.17, Finland)
Olga Shishkina was the big attraction of the day. She was already a big celebrity/artist of the world in 2003 when she visited Gotland last time and gave a solo concert on her gusli. This time she also sat in and played with the orchestra and raised the musical bar a few levels. She also played in a very well put together-quintet, which besides Olga included Owe Roström on balalajka, Erik Ronström on guitar, and Johan Ronström and Fredian Lindström on domras and mandolins. Among other things the quintet played the old russian folk balalajka standard ”Månen lyser”, in a way never before heard and with an incredible groove. And Olga Shishkina was absolutely amazing on an instrument I´ve never heard of. (Bengt Valentinsson, Gotlands Tidningar, 26.01.16, Sweden)
Muljetavaldaivamaks kujunes ehk guslimängija Shishkina. Gusli on selline kandlelaadne vene rahvuslik pill, mida Olga Shishkina on esimesena rakendanud ka sümfooniaorkestri kontekstis. Oma gusliga päästis ta hingekeeled valla ja lõi pisut Tarkovski filmide ( näiteks Peegel oma pastoraalsete motiividega) atmosfääri. Hõljuv mälu sesiund, ütleme nii. Või näpuämblik kudus guslil mäluvõrku, ütleme teisti. Võimalik, et selline intiimne muusika nõudnuks natuke intiimsemat ruumi või miks mitte ka videoprojektsiooni. Suur Rotermanni saal ehk rammis sellele muusikale natuke peale. See on umbes selline olukord, et üks inimene on alasti ja teistel riided seljas. (Janar Ala, Postimees, 27.03.15, Estonia, whole article)
Üllatumiseks annab TMW põhjust piisavalt. … LAB Orkester mängis Beethoveni muusikat, pärast neid astus lavale aga Vene kandlemängija Olga Shishkina, kes oli mulle tuttav eelmise aasta Viljandi kitarrifestivalilt. Sinna oli ta toonud kaasa elektroonilise kandle, seekord aga ilmus akustiliseks sooloetteasteks „lavale” Setu kandle ehk gusliga, mille käsitlemisel on ta tõenäoliselt tasemelt maailma tipus. Shishkina on võimeline oma pillil esitama nii klassikat kui ka džässi ja loomulikult teenis ta oma virtuoossusega publikult tulise aplausi. (Ivo Heinloo, Kitarr, 04.02.15, Estonia, whole article)
… incredibly beautiful playing… (Niilo Laitinen, Savon Sanomat, Finland)
… one of the foremost exponent of the Gusli in Russia… (The Press and Journal, Scotland)
… charming sounds of ancient Gusli… marvellous plasticity of movements and incredible musicality, purity of intonation and high technique literally hypnotize the audience. (Yury Yastrebov, Andreev Evenings)
… her brilliant playing fascinated the jury so much that she got the 1st prize (Moscow Gate, Russia)
Unprecedented case for the competitions of such level and status (Narodnik Journal, Russia)
… one of the finest Gusli’s exponents – teenage sensation Olga Shishkina (The Northern Scot, Scotland)
Olga’s brisk playing made the skilled guitarists turn pale (Haapavesi, Finland)
If the lords of sea-depths admired Sadko’s skill of playing, Olga’s mastery attracts professional musicians as well as amateurs of our days (Moscow Gate, Russia)
In Russian folklore it was considered that superiority in Gusli playing always belonged to men; classical examples are Sadko and Bayan. Olga, after her teacher Irina Ershova, proved them wrong, having shown with her virtuosity that women may be as good at playing as men (Moscow Gate, Russia)
… Innovatory, absolutely non-traditional approach (Igor Golubev, The Lights of Volchoff)
Shishkina on paitsi soittimensa virtuoosimainen haltija, myös innovatiivinen tutkija. (Marko Niemelä, Lapin Kansa, 03.09.20)
Tietokoneeltaan musiikkia loihtiva Romulus Chiciuc ja kantelevirtuoosi Olga Shishkina käynnistävät runokonsertin. (Nina Jääskeläinen, Teatteri & Tanssi+Sirkus, 2/2014, Finland, whole article)
Kannel, viulu ja elektroniikka luovat intensiivisen taustan ihmisäänelle, joka monistuu, taittuu, pirstoutuu ja kertautuu kielestä riippumatta. Finnphonia Emigrantica – esitys on komea kokonaisuus. (Lauri Meri, Helsinkin Sanomat, 07.02.14, Finland, whole article)
Egregore (ypperligt sensibelt framförd av Olga Shishkina, kantele, Timo Kaakkolammi, gitarr, Vincent Lhermet, dragspel och Anna Vaahtoranta, piano) ger däremot intrycket av en estetiskt nog så fascinerande kuriositet inom Tiensuus produktion – i mångt och mycket givetvis dikterat av det extraordinära instrumentariet. (Mats Liljeroos, Hufvudstadsbladet, 26.10.11, Finland)
22. juulil esines kirikus praegu Soomes resideeruv vene guslikunstnik Olga Šiškina. Ta demonstreeris flötisti ja pianisti Aleksander Kiskatši sekundeerimisel nii kromaatilise kui ka 15keelse gusli mitmesuguseid mängu- ja kõlavõimalusi, kavas peamiselt muusika sellistelt XVIII–XIX sajandi vahetusel elanud vähe tuntud autoritelt nagu Pierre von Biron (muide, viimane Kuramaa hertsog!), Vassili Trutovski, Lev Guriljov ja Ivan Handoškin. /…/ Šiškina näitas end tõelise oma pilli virtuoosina, kes on omandanud ka klassikalises muusikatraditsioonis vajaliku rafineerituse… (Mart Jaanson, Sirp, 05.08.11, Estonia, whole article)
More info: www.myspace.com/olga.shishkina
Contact: info@erpmusic.com