"The jury's choice was unanimous...Konstantin's a consummate professional--mature, he knew what he wanted to do and he did it....He communicated faithfully the composer's intentions written in the score, and drew the audience into what he was doing."
(Comments from the jury of the 2009 St. Albans Competition)
"When you play the organ and try to do it well, the best prize is the reaction of the public."
(Winner's comment)
"Virtuosity and vivaciousness are both inherent in his playing, which allows us to expect from his recitals both the solemnity of a mass and the excitement of an organ performance competition." (Culture Walk magazine, Moscow, 2008)
"Konstantin Volostnov has demonstrated a magnificent grasp of playing on historic instruments, and a refined understanding of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries." (Culture, Moscow, 2008)
"There is charm in his skillfulness, a reasonable handling of the musical details, and a technical confidence in his playing. But his wonderful technique never shows itself off, but instead is always in service to the music. The artist does not attempt to spotlight himself or his talent, but only the artistic purpose at hand. A personal harmony, a calmness, and a strong internal musical wisdom; these are the the Volostnov elements of performance style." (Evening St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, 2008)
Konstantin Volostnov
concert organist
2009 St. Albans International Organ Competition
First Prize Winner
Audience Prize Winner
Peter Hurford Prize for Best Bach Winner
& Casken Prize Winner
The Moscow organist, pianist and harpsichordist Konstantin Volostnov was born in Moscow in 1979. He began studying organ music in M.M. Potashnikova's class in Sergei Prokofiev Music School. From 1994 to 1999 he studied in the Academic Music College of The Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory (piano and organ classes of A.M. Shmitov).
In 2004 Konstantin Volostnov graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory where he studied with professor A.A. Parshin (organ), Y.V. Martynov (piano), professor A.B. Lyubimov (chamber ensemble).
In 2007 Konstantin Volostnov received his diploma of Staatlichen Hochschule für M&DK in Stuttgart where he took lessons from professor, Dr. Ludger Lohmann, and in the same year Konstantin finished post-graduate course of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Professor Natalia Gureeva-Vedernikova).
Konstantin Volostnov is a laureate (second prize) and a winner of special prize «For the Best Performance of the Modern Piece of Czech Composer» at the competition in Opava (Czech Republic 2000). In 2003 Konstantin Volostnov was awarded the Douglas May Prize in St. Albans International Organ Festival in the UK. In 2008 he became a winner (First prize) of the International organ competition in Schramberg (Eberhard Friedrich Walcker-preis, Germany) and International Alexander Gedicke organ competition in Moscow. In 2009 he won first prize at the international St Albans competition in organ performance.
Konstantin is a regular participant of the modern music festival «Moscow Autumn» (2001 - 2007) and the Moscow International Organ Festival (2001 - 2007). The first organ and chamber music festival «The North Orpheus» (Kirov, 2001) awarded Konstantin with «Outstanding Music Mastership» diploma.
Konstantin’s first CD («J.S. Bach and romantic organ music») was released in 2003. In 2004 Konstantin Volostnov recorded modern organ music of the Moscow Conservatory composers. After these two CD’s in 2006 he recorded a CD of the six organ sonatas by Felix Mendelssohn and recorded a second CD of “Great Organ Works”. His recently recorded CD at the organ of the Moscow Catholic Cathedral with works by Bach, Mozart and Franck was distributed earlier this year. He has also recorded for radio and TV.
Since 2005 to 2006 he was appointed as an artistic director of the Federal Philharmonic of Caucasian Mineral Waters.
He has performed concerts throughout Russia and abroad (France, Germany, Spain, USA).