Senior Illarion Gershkovich Musical Talents Shine Bright In the Virtuoso Program
Photo taken by Hannah Silber at the most recent chamber concert.
November 29, 2022
Illarion, a senior at San Domenico, has been playing the cello for four years with the virtuoso program. He has written a few different songs which the VP program has performed at several different concerts. Illarion talks about his joy and inspiration for writing music. He started off by just performing but then later found his passion for writing when he became a freshman at San Domenico and started working alongside the VP program.
Illarion describes writing music as “… a state of being in which you are moved to create something that other people can understand and interpret to have some sort of profound meaning.”
Illarion is grateful for the people that have inspired him to write his music over the years. He’s been very inspired by his musical teachers and fellow VP players but he says the most inspirational person in his career is Dmitri Shostakovich, a Russian composer and pianist who became known after his first Symphony in 1926.
Alice McConnell, a junior at San Domenico has enjoyed working with Illarion in the VP program and also appreciates the overall experience of the program.
“It’s a very unique experience,” McConnell said. “The community is very special. We have some great teachers like Eugene who is an awesome coach. Illarion makes rehearsals very fun and entertaining as well as productive.”
Amanda Lam, a junior at OSA and a part of the VP program talked about her experience working with Illarion.
“Larry is a determined musician and composer, he is very dedicated to his practice and that is something that is very inspirational to me,” Lam said.
On November 16, VP had their Chamber Concert which was their best concert of the season. They featured the music of Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Shostakovich and Haydn. The concert was quartets, which are two groups of four musicians: two violins, a viola and a cello. Illarion performed in 3 of the quartets as the cello player.
As of now dates for upcoming concerts are unknown, but the VP program continues to work hard and hopes to have another concert soon. Make sure to come out and support the VP program when you have a chance. Their music is amazing!
