Another Daniil

This time, a Russian pianist named Daniil Trifonov. He's just 19 and debuted at Carnegie Hall in May 2009.

Here's Trifonov playing a short, 3-minute piece called Afterthought by American jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea. It's atonal and keeps the ear alert and wondering what's coming next.

Click triangle, lower left corner.


Here Trifonov plays Scriabin’s Preludio op 9., 2.5 minutes long, lovely, harmonious and somewhat sad in its minor key. Note that this is played entirely with the left hand.



If I had my life to live again, and had the talent, I likely would dedicate myself to the peforming arts, music or dance. What better way to spend one's days than becoming masterful and exacting at beauty. What we focus on becomes our life. As much as I love and appreciate my job at school, and trust I make some kind of a positive difference, distraction rules my days. As a mentor once advised me: "The interruptions are the work." Hence the allure of single-minded focus, of knowing one thing intimately and in great depth--the world of classical music, say, or jazz, or ballet or modern dance.

I do want to be careful not to burden my Daniil with my own unfulfilled dreams or with too-high-achievement expectations. At the same time, I believe that all children, most adults too, thrive and come alive when challenged and taught the skills and habits to succeed, to really excel and "nail" something. I saw this with Daniil at the orphanage, the delight in his face and entire person when he threw the ball directly to me, when he counted to ten correctly, when we conquered some big steps together. I will ask a lot of my boy, and expect he will enjoy this. If not, it's off to some knowledgeable child psychologists to tell me what to do then!