Alexander Poeluev held his first live online concert on Saturday May 16, 2020 at 11:00 AM New York time. If you missed this milestone you can still see the concert video at YouTube.com/AlexanderPoeluev. Is a live online concert exciting? I mean there is no driving, no tickets, no coat check, no looking for your seat… Well I can say unreservedly yes! The anticipation of seeing it live does make all the difference. Knowing you are seeing and hearing a concert as it happens from a Moscow time zone is really amazing.
With Alexander performing and his wife Liza as the Master of Ceremonies and sound engineer, one talented cameraman, one broadcast manager and a guest appearance of Saxophonist Machnev Andrey the 1 hour and 50 minute concert had all the elements for success. Alexander and Liza Poeluev produced their first live online concert from the port city of Rostov-on-Don to a world wide audience with viewers from 15 countries and 40 Russian cities. 2,800 views of the broadcast with as many as 350 active viewers at one time. This broadcast video has now had more than 4,700 views. Alexander’s YouTube channel picked up more than 100 subscribers after the concert and has now reached a total 11,100 subscribers. Alexander’s program was wide and far reaching with composers, mood, styles and time periods.
The concert started with two Scarlatti Sonatas: A and E major, followed by pieces by Rameau: Le Rappel des oiseaux, Couperin: L’Arlequin, Schumann: Träumerei and N.Paganini, F.Liszt Concert Etude “Hunting”. The concert continued with Arkhipovsky: Cinderella, followed by Tchaikovsky: March and Russian dance Trepak from the Nutcracker ballet.
At this point Liza explained Alexander’s use of a FX processor Looper Board (Headrush looperboard 2019 model) as the camera panned to show the pedal’s location and active display. There were no backing tracks as all the loops were created live during the performance as Alexander created layer after layer for his moving performance of Frenkel’s Zhuravli. Next up an all time favorite and original rendition of Vurtner’s Dark Eyes.
Forty-five minutes into the program the Poeluev’s made a dedication to the memory of their friend Lou Coppola. The concert setting disappeared from our screens and was filled with a picture of Lou. Liza Poeluev began the dedication with highlights of Lou’s life rendered in both Russian and English and when she finished, our view returned to Alexander performing Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, the piece he selected to dedicate to his friend, Lou Coppola. This was a moving tribute to Lou that transcended language and cultures with both beauty and grace. The program continued with V.Semionov: Don Rhapsody (final movement) – which is a piece written about the river Don in the Poeluev’s home city Rostov-on-Don. A short intermission of 5 minutes and the concert resumed with their invited guest Andrey Machnev, saxophonist.
Andrey Machnev is not only a performer but also teacher, composer and arranger. He is a leader of both orchestras and ensembles, one of the organizers of jazz education in Rostov-on-Don and a laureate of international competitions and festivals. Mr. Machnev is well known as a soloist of Rostov’s big bands and one of the leaders of the New-Centropezn Jazz Quartet and of the Youth Big Band in Rostov.
The concert recommenced with Andrey Machnev performing a World Premier of his composition Impromptu on tenor saxophone. This was not the only World Premier on the program as next Alexander premiered his own composition Snowflakes. Galliano’s Tango pour Claude was performed next as a duet by both Alexander on accordion and Andrey on soprano saxophone. After an hour into the program we are met with a change in tempo and the upbeat sounds of Alexander and Andrey playing Vlasov’s Basso-Ostinato. At this point Liza Poeluev informed the audience that many people supported them in putting this concert together. She expressed their thanks sending their love and gratitude to everyone who attended the concert during these hard times wishing everyone to “Be happy, healthy and strong. That beauty will save the world and we will play beautiful music for you!”
We continued with Alexander and Andrey playing Vlasov’s Bossa-nova. A short break while Liza read some of the many comments and greetings recorded from all over the world during the concert. The concert then closed with Andrey on soprano saxophone and Alexander performing Andrey Machnev’s Child Game. I believe I speak for many when I say we look forward to their next production. Bravo!
About the Author: AAA member Ed Petrowski, Jr. lives in Milford CT. Ed studied stradella accordion with Bob Osso of Milford, CT for 10 years and later studied free bass with Frank Porto at the University of Bridgeport where he received the Bachelor of Music degree in Conducting. We are hopeful that another concert and workshop will be scheduled in the near future.
