Biography
Sergei Zhilin is known as a talented conductor and composer, a witty conversationalist and a virtuoso pianist. The musician performed at Vladimir Putin’s birthday party, and former US President Bill Clinton considers him the best jazz performer. His “Phonograph-Symphojazz” is a unique symbol of television vocal competitions and concerts of pop stars who prefer relaxed communication with the audience.
Childhood and youth
Sergei was born on October 23, 1966 in Moscow. He was not even 3 years old when his grandmother, a piano and violin teacher, decided that her grandson would have, if not a creative biography, then at least good knowledge of music. The child sat at the instrument for four and sometimes six hours a day.
At the same time, Zhilin went to a school for gifted children at the conservatory, where he “became a champion in the number of bad marks in a short period of time.” And all because I was torn between drama school, aircraft modeling, football, bicycle racing and playing in two vocal and instrumental ensembles.
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Sergei refused to study at the military music school when he realized that he would have to break up with his hobbies. The guy was transferred to a comprehensive school, but he couldn’t stay there either. After the 8th grade, Zhilin entered a vocational school to become an electrician for aircraft equipment, where he did what he loved. Even in the army, he served in a song and dance ensemble, running AWOL to rehearse.
Sergei later received a Master of Arts from the International Academy of Sciences in San Marino. And none of my former classmates took music seriously, not to mention their own orchestra. After 35 years, the director of the Central Music School asked Zhilin to give a master class to the new generation of students. And at the concert dedicated to the institution’s anniversary, he closed the festive program.
In childhood and adolescence, Sergei liked the romantic composers Rachmaninov, Liszt, and Grieg. And suddenly a new hobby appeared - jazz, which upset my grandmother a lot. The “fault” for this was the “Leningrad Dixieland” record, which was listened to to death.
From the musician's biography
Sergei was born on October 23, 1966. in the capital of the Russian Federation. A decisive role in the artist’s life was played by his grandmother, a former violinist and pianist. She dreamed of raising an academic music performer. The boy's parents also adhered to this goal. The future star first played the piano at the age of 2.5 years.
On the way to achieving his goal, his family forced the boy to diligently study music for 4-6 hours a day. Beginning artists understand how much of a burden this is for musicians, not to mention children. At the first stages of his creative path, Sergei dreamed of being like Rachmaninov, Liszt and Grieg. However, he quickly changed his preferences to jazz. Relatives took this decision as a protest.
Later, the boy dared to surprise them even more with his hobbies, taking up sports (in particular, aircraft modeling and football) and playing in the VIA.
Music
In 1982, the young man came to enroll in a musical improvisation studio, and by the end of the 1st year a piano duet had formed - Sergei Zhilin and Mikhail Stefanyuk. The friends played Scott Joplin's ragtimes and their own adaptations. This is how Phonograph was born.
The group's debut took place in the spring of next year at a jazz festival. A little later, Sergei met composer Yuri Saulsky. He invited Phonograph to the Moscow Jazz Festival. From the very first steps, the musicians won the love of the public.
Then Zhilin was invited to a joint tour by the artistic director and chief conductor of the Presidential Orchestra of the Russian Federation, Pavel Ovsyannikov. The team was entrusted with the support of the anniversary concert by Raymond Pauls. For the first time, the team led by Sergei left Russia together with Valentin Yudashkin.
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Now the pianist says that there was no sharp rise in his career.
“If we look at my example, there was systematic work. And the more in demand I become, the more I have to work. There are no takeoffs, you shouldn’t count on them. What you definitely need to count on is your strength and your work.”
By 1995, Sergei Zhilin’s project took shape in the Cultural organization, uniting under its roof the Jazz Trio, Jazz Quintet, Jazz Sextet and Dixie Band.
The core of the Big Band is made up of musicians who played in the Russian version of the musical Chicago. The Jazz Quartet features the voice of Alla Sidorova, whom critics consider the brightest and inimitable in Russian jazz.
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Sergey Zhilin and Elena Malysheva
“Jazz band” is focused on fashionable electronic sound, drive combined with lightness. “Symphojazz” was created specifically for the presentation of an album with works by Pyotr Tchaikovsky in jazz arrangement. This marked the beginning of the revival of pop music by classical symphony orchestras.
Next came a children's school of pop-jazz art and a recording studio, where popular Russian artists still record to this day. Zhilin himself creates the arrangements and acts as a conductor. The artist’s discography includes dozens of records.
In 2002, the television era began for Phonograph. The team accompanied participants in the competitions “Dancing with the Stars” and “The Voice” (including projects for children and older people), the show “Can You? Sing!” and “PROPERTY OF THE REPUBLIC”. In “Two Stars” Sergei tried himself as a singer, receiving the support of Angelica Varum.
Success
Over 14 years of touring, he sang several hundred songs of his own composition, registered with the Russian Authors' Society (RAS), of which he has been a member since 1989. Projects.
Performed songs by Sergei Sleptsov and Stanislav Orel in the documentary film “Tell me how you died...” (about soldiers who died in Chechnya) - dir. Sergey Sleptsov. He has released solo albums: “Rostovskaya Byl” (on cassettes) - a recording of a solo concert at the Center. Kim Nazaretova - 1998. “Confessional compartment” (on CD) - 2003. Some songs were included in chanson collections released by the studio “Sound” and. In November 2003, together with the winner of the Grand Prix of the 1st festival “Chanson in Rostov -2003” Igor Nadolinsky, he formed the chanson duet “NA-ZHI” (NADOLINSKY-ZHILIN). On December 4, the chanson duet “NA-ZHI” took part in the concert “Long live Chanson!” on the stage of the Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex (the concert was filmed by the TVC channel). “NA-ZHI” performed the song “Yo-moyo” (Mus. S. Zhilin, I. Nadolinsky - lyrics by S. Zhilin). Currently, the chanson duet “NA-ZHI” is working on recording their debut album in the “Fon-Records” studio (radio “Chanson in Rostov”). Concert organization. As a commercial director of a concert concert, he conducted tours in Rostov-on-Don for Vladimir Kuzmin, Ilya Oleinikov and Yuri Stoyanov, the groups “DDT”, “Nautilus Pompilius”, “Aria”, Ivan Kuchin, Willy Tokarev and others. Literary work. Graduated from the Literary Institute named after. A.M. Gorky (poetry seminar). Teachers: Lev Ivanovich Oshanin (a legendary poet who wrote “Oh, roads”, “The Volga River flows...”, “The circle of the sun, the sky around...”, etc.); Evgeny Borisovich Rein (a legendary teacher, in one of his overseas television interviews Joseph Brodsky called E.B. Rein his second teacher, the first Nobel laureate named A.S. Pushkin). Attended seminars by Yuri Levitansky and Naum Korzhavin. In 1996, based on his graduation work from the Literary Institute, he published a collection of poems, “The Heart of a Jackal.” In 2003, he wrote the musical play “Portrait of Van Gogh.” Work in the media. Print media: Worked as a columnist for the magazine “Mountain Air” (Zheleznovodsk), published materials in the weekly magazine “Arguments and Facts” (Rostov regional edition) and other local publications. Since April 2004, he has been one of the founders and editor-in-chief of the magazine about Russian chanson “Chansonnier”. Television: Hosted the program “Meetings with Interesting People” on TV Channel 35 (Rostov-on-Don). Radio: Worked as a program programmer and then as executive director of the radio station “Donskaya Volna” (network partners - “Open Radio” - Moscow); program director of the Donskoy Mirage radio (format - Russian chanson); producing editor of the radio "Echo of Rostov" (network partners - "Echo of Moscow"). Currently he works as a program editor for the radio station “Chanson in Rostov” (network partners – radio “Chanson” - Moscow). Debut on the radio - an interview with Boris Grebenshchikov and Aquarium guitarist Alexei Lyapin live on the Don Wave radio. The most memorable program: an interview with Mikhail Krug and violinist Alexei Dulkevich on the Donskoy Mirage radio.
Personal life
The personal life of Sergei Zhilin is closed from prying eyes. According to unconfirmed rumors, the conductor had two marriages. In the first, a son was born, the second wife worked briefly at Phonograph. It is unknown whether the musician has a companion today. He does not talk about family and relationships.
At home, the master, contrary to expectations, has no instruments. Instead of a piano there are many televisions, which is more convenient for the owner. Sergei leaves the studio, where he spends up to 90% of his time, for the sake of sports. He has a yellow belt in karate and goes to the gym. In addition, he collects ties; there are already over 300 pieces in his collection.
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Sergey Zhilin in 2021
Zhilin is a tall man of 196 cm, which periodically confuses his close friend Dmitry Nagiyev. The host of the “Voice” show each time asks the pianist to sit down so that the difference in “parameters” is not noticeable.
Phonograph has developed an official website and opened a group on VKontakte. On these resources, fans can find information of interest. There are posters, tour programs, interviews and photos.
Sergey Zhilin now
Friends nicknamed Sergei Superzhilin, referring to his ability to work and the ability not only to create, but also to manage. Over the decades during which Phonograph has existed, neither federal nor local authorities have provided support. Zhilin also has to resolve administrative, pedagogical, and organizational issues.
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Sergey Zhilin and Dina Garipova
In 2021, “Phonograph-Symphojazz” presented an updated program “Legendary Melodies of the 20th Century”. The performances of the famous group took place at the most prestigious venue in the country - the State Kremlin Palace. Among the concert participants are Polina Gagarina, Leonid Agutin, winners and finalists of the “Voice” project Dina Garipova, Danila Pluzhnikov, Nastya Roginskaya.
Together with the Jazz Quartet, Sergei performs “Dedication to Oscar Pietersen,” his favorite pianist. Another program called “Encore!” - at the Phonograph Jazz Band. This is a kind of excursion into the world of samba, blues, latin jazz and other styles inherent in the culture of North and South America.
Answers to questions about the life of an artist
Why was Sergei forced to change school to finish 8th grade? The institution where the talented musician studied belonged to the Moscow Pedagogical Institute. Lenin. This determines the main reason why management paid a lot of attention to Zhilin’s progress.
Why does an artist become interested in jazz from a young age? It's all about the records of one of the oldest Russian traditional jazz ensembles (Leningrad Dixieland). Playing them day after day, the boy decided that he simply had to devote himself to this direction. In his teenage years, he tried to reproduce his favorite compositions. When asked how successful the result was, he remains silent with a smile on his face.
Where did Sergei find his like-minded people? The artist’s favorite place is the studio of the Youth Improvisation Service, created in the 60s, in the south of Moscow. Here in 1982 he met jazz lovers and took part in music festivals.
When did Zhilin become famous? In 1995, Phonograph’s music was regularly played on radio and TV, and its director became the host of his own musical project at the Yunost radio station, where he worked for 3 years.
Where else can you find the name Zilina? His name is displayed in the Jazz encyclopedia. XX century".
Who is the member of the group? It includes several business areas: Event, Light&Sound, Records, JazzBand.
Discography
- 1997 - “30 is a lot or a little...”
- 1998 - “We want to be different.” (Concert at the Variety Theater)
- 2002 - “35 and 5”. (Live at Le Club on October 23, 2001)
- 2003 - “Solo for four hands. Boris Frumkin and Sergei Zhilin"
- 2004 - “The Rapture of Jazz.” (Concert at the Variety Theater on October 23, 2003)
- 2005 — “Tchaikovsky in Jazz. Seasons - 2005."
- 2007 — “Mambo-Jazz”
- 2008 - “Black Cat” and other hits of past years.” (Concert dedicated to the 55th anniversary of the creative activity of Yu. S. Saulsky)
- 2009 — “Tchaikovsky in Jazz. New"
- 2011 — “In the name of love”
- 2014 — “Tchaikovsky in Jazz”
