GRAD

percussion duo

		Andrei Pushkarev was born in a family of musicians in Kiev in 1974. At the age of five, he began his musical education with piano. During his studies at the Conservatory with Prof. Alexander Blinov Andrei began to create his own works including his own compositions for vibraphone solo. In 1999 joined Kremerata Baltica Chamber Orchestra (artistic leader Gidon Kremer). Until today he holds the status of a well-recognized soloist as well as a principal percussionist of this ensemble. Additionally, he participated in numerous recordings as a member of the ensemble on labels such as Nonesuch, Deutsche Grammophon.ECM etc. As a soloist he can be heard on the CD release “After Mozart” which received a Grammy Award in 2001 in the U.S. as well as the Echo Award in 2002 in Germany. In 2007 his solo CD “Bach Vibrations” released by Austrian “Gramola” label was recently mentioned by the Deutsche Schallplattenkritik Bestenliste. Andrei Pushkarev has performed with renowned musicians including Yo Yo Ma, Martha Argerich, Julius Berger, Vadim Repin, Julian Rachlin and many others. In 2005 Andrei did a world duo-tour with Gidon Kremer. Since 2013 Andrei Pushkarev is endorser and the official performer of Majestic Percussion™ and Innovative Percussion™.
Pavel Beliaev was born in 1977 in Minsk, Belarus. He started to learn music at the age of seven. Pavel completed his studies at Minsk Music Academy, as well as at Hochschule für Musik in Cologne (Prof. Christian Roderburg, Andy Gillmann and Mathias Haus). In 2002 he won the competition organized by Barmenia insurance company. Pavel Beliaev is a freelance musician known for intense collaboration with various music theatres and professional orchestras in Germany and the worldwide famous Kremerata Baltica Chamber Orchestra founded and led by Gidon Kremer. Pavel performs recitals and chamber music of different forms and instrumental settings, including percussion duet "PS: Percussion" with Salome Amend and project "GRAD percussion duo" with Andrei Pushkarev.

 

 

Andrei Pushkarev and Pavel Beliaev met in 2014, when both were involved in Gidon Kremer’s Kremerata Baltica Chamber Orchestra performance of Rodion Shchedrin’s “Carmen-Suite” (dedicated to his wife, the famous ballet dancer Maya Plisetskaya). The project was staged in 2014 and received rave reviews of the critics, including a very warm reception of the author, who attended the performance in Munich in 2014.
Around that time the idea of duo-project was arisen, however, because of constant occupation of Andrei and Pavel in various musical projects all around the world it was difficult to materialize the idea for a long time. Finally, at the end of 2019, both guys started to work on making music together, seeking for something unique and inimitable; the duo finally succeeded. As a result of countless rehearsals full of diligent effort, permanent searches and strengthened partnership, Andrei and Pavel have put together a program called “In the Mood of Duo”. Percussion duo “GRAD” was about to be introduced to the audiences of Germany and Switzerland, but unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic interrupted the artists’ plans. Eventually, the first concert of GRAD percussion duo occurred and had success in Asiago (Italy) during the Asiago Festival in August, 2020. A few weeks before it, in July, the duo produced and recorded a CD with the worldwide famous cellist Prof. Julius Berger – “Bach 60 – 90”, released by "Solo Musica" in April, 2021.
In April 2024, the new CD "Warum toben die Völker" featuring Psalms translated from the Hebrew Bible in dialogue with the music of Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) was released by the arcantus label.
The artistic philosophy of the GRAD percussion duo, the main idea is a progressive contemporary outlook at the world’s classical musical heritage, fresh view at the interpretation of both well-known and undiscovered to larger audiences works of Vivaldi, Bach, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Prokofiev, Piazzolla and many other valuable composers in the history of music.