The fate of one of the greatest pianists of Russia, Vera Vasilyevna Gornostaeva, was predetermined from birth. Having been born on the International Day of Music, she devoted her whole life to this beautiful art form. Today, when Vera Vasilievna is no longer alive, I want to once again recall her biography.
Childhood and youth
Vera Gornostaeva was born in Moscow on October 1, 1929 in the family of a pianist and engineer-economist. When the girl was 7 years old, her parents sent her to a music school, open on the basis of the Moscow Conservatory. The girl’s teacher was E. Nikolaeva. After graduating (in 1947) from a music school, young Vera entered the Moscow Conservatory in a class with the outstanding pianist Heinrich Neuhaus. The student was so impressed with the talent of her teacher that he always spoke of her as a "unique treasure." After graduating from the conservatory, Vera Vasilievna entered graduate school, where she studied from 1952 to 1955.
Career
The celebrated pianist preferred pedagogical activity. The first place of her work was the Children's Music School, located in the Sverdlovsk district of the capital. Here she worked for a year after graduating from the conservatory (from 1952 to 1953). Then followed the teaching activities at the Music and Pedagogical Institute. The Gnesins, in which Vera Vasilievna Gornostaeva taught students to play the piano for five years.
Already in those days, her colleagues noted that a young woman has a broad outlook, allowing her to see the prospect of talent development in each individual student. She was predicted to be the title of one of the country's best music educators, and she lived up to this expectation. For more than 60 years of teaching, the woman has trained many talented pianists, including Marat Gubaidullin, Ivo Pogorelich, Alexander Slobodyanik, Pavel Egorov, Irina Chukovskaya, etc.
In 1959, Vera Gornostaeva, whose biography is considered in this publication, came to work in the special piano department at her alma mater, the Moscow Conservatory. In this educational institution, in addition to her, her mother also studied at one time. From this moment until the end of her life, the pianist's pedagogical activity will take place within the walls of this educational institution. In 1963, Vera Vasilievna became her assistant professor, and after another 6 years (in 1969) - professor.
Popular recognition
Gornostaeva traveled to many countries of the world with her master classes, and everywhere they were held with great success. Her name was well known in Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland, France, USA, Italy. In Japan, the pianist’s lessons were even broadcast on central television, and a book was written about her.
Gornostaeva’s teaching methodology was so progressive that women were offered jobs in the best music universities in the world. But Vera Vasilyevna categorically refused to leave the educational institution that had become her native. She stated that she would never leave the conservatory, along the corridors of which such great Russian composers as Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Scriabin walked.
Concert, television and publishing
In 1953, the first big performance of Gornostaeva took place in the concert hall of the Moscow Conservatory. After 2 years, Vera Vasilievna was hired by the soloist of the Moskontsert. In 1956, a talented pianist became a laureate and winner of the II Prize at the International Competition held in Prague. Since 1988, Gornostaeva is a soloist of the metropolitan Academic Philharmonic. In the same year she was awarded the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR.
In the Soviet Union, Vera Vasilievna Gornostaeva was known not only as a pianist and teacher, but also as a TV presenter. She hosted the Open Piano program, dedicated to classical music. In it, a woman played classical works and told the audience about composers. In addition, Gornostaeva owns a lot of publications about famous musicians: S. Richter, Yu. Bashmet, M. Pletnev, as well as his favorite teacher G. Neigauz. In 1991, she published a book called "2 hours after the concert."
Personal life
Vera Gornostaeva was married to physicist Vadim Knorre (the son of the famous Soviet scientist and writer George Knorre). Married to him in 1953, her daughter Ksenia was born, who followed in the footsteps of her mother and became a famous pianist. Vera Vasilievna has two adult grandchildren: Lika Kremer (famous actress and television presenter) and Lucas Geniusz (musician).
The last months of life and death
In October 2014, a ceremonial parade festival "Relay Relay" was held at the Moscow Conservatory, dedicated to the 85th anniversary of Gornostaeva. The celebrated pianist was congratulated on her anniversary by her famous students. Rector of the Conservatory A. Sokolov read out telegrams addressed to her from Prime Minister D. Medvedev and Moscow Mayor S. Sobyanin. Vera Gornostaeva shone on the stage and with all her looks showed that she was ready to continue to work fruitfully, but on January 19, 2015 she was gone. The news of this the next day told reporters Xenia Knorre.
The famous pianist died in the intensive care unit of a Moscow clinic, where she was taken 3 weeks before her death. Prior to that, she felt well, was engaged in public and teaching activities. The cause of death of Vera Gornostaeva has not been officially announced anywhere. An outstanding pianist and teacher was buried in Moscow at the Danilovsky Cemetery.