Dmitry Volkov was an extraordinary cellist, collaborator and friend who left behind a legacy which will not be soon forgotten.
Born in Togliatti, Russia on October 25th, 1987 to Vadim and Natalia Volkov, Dmitry was an adventurous spirit from a very young age. The stories say that he was trying to kiss girls by age 2! In the city of Togliatti Dmitry grew up with his younger brother Evgeny and was close with his family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. In pre-school he was encouraged to learn the piano since he had large hands for his age. However, piano was not meant to be and by age 5 he had switched to the cello, which turned out to be his love for the rest of his life.
Born in Togliatti, Russia on October 25th, 1987 to Vadim and Natalia Volkov, Dmitry was an adventurous spirit from a very young age. The stories say that he was trying to kiss girls by age 2! In the city of Togliatti Dmitry grew up with his younger brother Evgeny and was close with his family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. In pre-school he was encouraged to learn the piano since he had large hands for his age. However, piano was not meant to be and by age 5 he had switched to the cello, which turned out to be his love for the rest of his life.
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From an early age Dmitry was recognized as a rising star in his region of Samara. Studying under Tatiana Lihanova, he made numerous appearances with orchestras and won a number of awards, including 1st prizes in the All Russia Korsakov Competition in Tver, the International Blue Bird Competition in Simferopol and the Togliatti International Competition for Strings,among others. At the age of 14, Dmitry moved to Moscow to study with Olga Galochkina at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Music College. A natural cellist, he continued to find success with the cello and in 2006 he entered the prestigious Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under the tutelage of Natalia Shakhovskaya. He performed many times in the Conservatory’s Great Hall and toured across the world to Spain, Finland, France and Italy.
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In 2008 Dmitry made his first trip to the United States to attend the Heifetz International Music Institute on a full scholarship. These six weeks in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire would come to mark a significant step in Dmitry’s life. His talent was immediately recognized and he quickly established wonderful connections with his teachers, colleagues and audiences who supported him. At the 2009 Institute Dmitry won the concerto competition to perform Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations with Carlos Miguel Prieto and the Youth Orchestra of Americas. Later that summer he was awarded First Prize in the Carlos Prieto International Cello Competition.
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It was always a dream of his to study and make a career in the United States. In 2010, Dmitry was accepted to the Peabody Conservatory, where he studied from 2010- 2013 with Amit Peled and earned an Artist Diploma. During this time he became a founding member of The Russian Trio, with Nikita Borisevich, violin, and Katherine Harris Rick, piano. The trio was recipient of numerous awards including first prizes at the Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition, The Coleman Chamber Music Competition and the Chesapeake Bay Chamber Music competition. Dmitry continued to find success as a soloist, winning First Prize in the 2011 Midland-Odessa Symphony National Young Artist Competition, along with numerous scholarships and awards including the Holland Music Sessions’ New Masters on Tour participant (2011–12), and the Stephen Kates Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund in Cello (2010).
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In the fall of 2013 Dmitry was named Artist-in-Residence at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, VA, where he resided until his death. Performing regularly for students in the city school system and presenting frequent concerts across the region, he quickly became a prominent figure in the community. On and off the stage “he fascinated everyone with his presence, his spirit, his grace and his elegance” -Tony Russell, (Read more)
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On May 10, 2014 Dmitry suffered a heart failure and passed away in his sleep. His sudden death shocked the entire music community who loved and adored this charismatic cellist. The Heifetz International Music Institute arranged for his repatriation and honored him during the 2014 Institute with an In Memoriam Concert. "Dmitry will be remembered as a virtuoso on the cello, for his charm both on and off the stage, and with fondness for his kind nature. Dmitry was truly a one-of-a-kind individual whose loss has been deeply felt among this community. It is rare to find a person for whom no one will offer a disparaging word, and rarer still to find one who offers none in return. Both could be said of Dmitry.” – The Heifetz International Music Institute.
In the summer of 2014, friends of Dmitry, led by Tony and Jeanne Russell, held a memorial gathering in Staunton, VA and established the Dmitry Volkov Family Memorial Fund to raise money to create a memorial at his gravesite. The fundraiser raised more than $15,000, with donations received from all over the world, and with a large Staunton base. All funds were sent directly to his family in Russia and the memorial site was completed in October of 2014.
Dmitry was a great cellist, but above all was a loving son, and is especially missed by his family.
This site has been established as a space for honoring Dmitry’s memory and ensuring that his bright spirit never stops shining in our lives.
Published October 25, 2014 by Marie Daniels
“Happy Birthday, Dima. With love.”
In the summer of 2014, friends of Dmitry, led by Tony and Jeanne Russell, held a memorial gathering in Staunton, VA and established the Dmitry Volkov Family Memorial Fund to raise money to create a memorial at his gravesite. The fundraiser raised more than $15,000, with donations received from all over the world, and with a large Staunton base. All funds were sent directly to his family in Russia and the memorial site was completed in October of 2014.
Dmitry was a great cellist, but above all was a loving son, and is especially missed by his family.
This site has been established as a space for honoring Dmitry’s memory and ensuring that his bright spirit never stops shining in our lives.
Published October 25, 2014 by Marie Daniels
“Happy Birthday, Dima. With love.”