Accordionist Alexander Sevastian, a wonderful musician and an extraordinary person, died unexpectedly on February 16, 2018, during his tour in Mexico with Quartetto Gelato.The world has lost a wonderful musician.
Excerpts from his website: Sebastian was a renowned artist (accordion, piano, bandoneon), who won four International Accordion Competitions: the Oslofjord in Norway (1998), The Cup of the North in Russia (2000), the Anthony Galla-Rini Accordion Competition in the U.S.A. (2001) and The Coupe Mondiale in the U.S.A. (2007). Born in Minsk, Belarus, he attended the Glinka Musical College (Minsk), and pursued advanced studies at the Gnessin Academy of Music in Moscow where he received his Masters in Performance degree in 2002, studying with renowned performer and pedagogue, Friedrich Lips.
Alexander Sevastian began his professional career in Moscow in 1996, performing with the Russian Radio Orchestra, which he toured with as a soloist throughout Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Italy, and Japan. Highlights of his career include appearances in the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, Glinka Capella Hall (St.Petersburg), Suntory Hall (Tokyo), Minato Mirai Hall (Yokohama), Roy Thomson Hall (Toronto), Jack Singer Hall (Calgary) and Metropolitan Museum (New York). Recent solo engagements include recitals in Mexico, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, U.S.A. and Canada as well as appearances with many North American symphony orchestras.
Sevastian and his family moved to Canada in April 2001. After joining Quartetto Gelato in 2002, he completed the Advanced Certificate in Performance program at the University of Toronto where he studied with Joseph Macerollo.
In April of 2008, Sevastian made his debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Peter Oundjian, playing the Malcolm Forsyth Accordion Concerto at the New Creations Festival, which he then performed with the orchestra on their 2009 tour of Eastern Canada. Alex is survived by his wife Anya, their children Vladimir and Maria, his brother Vitali and his mother Nadya.
Show One Productions is planning a concert to honor his memory and to raise money for his family. Please attend on April 11, at 8-11:PM at the
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Performers include
* Peter De Sotto and Liza McLellan Quartetto Gelato,
* Julian Milkis,
* Sophie Milman,
* Alexander Luminsky,
* Gennady Grebenchuk,
* Victor Khomenko and Alexei Severinets,
* Inga Filippova-Williams and Yevgeniya Yasmanovich,
* Children’s choir “Ladushki.”
All proceeds from the concert will go to Alexander Sevastian’s family.
Show One Productions is a full service production company presenting concerts with high-profile classical musicians, opera stars, and orchestras, as well as great dance and theatre companies. Formed in 2004 by Svetlana Dvoretskaia, Show One continues its brand of excellence, presenting in Canada’s most prestigious concert halls.
