<<  -- 4 --  Ted Kendall    DEVOTION TO PERFORMANCE

In 2005, Sakharova continued on the road to fulfilling her goals when she was selected as a featured artist for the prestigious Young Artists International Annual Laureates Festival. On extended tour throughout Europe and the United States, she performed several concert programs as a chamber musician, and also worked as a member of the festival orchestra, IPalpiti, led under the direction of esteemed conductor, Eduard Schmieder. 'It was a wonderful experience for me to work with an artist such as Dr Schmieder, and I also truly enjoyed performing with many fine young players from around the world.'

On 22 March, just two days after her upcoming NYC recital début, Sakharova will take the stage once again, this time at the Bosendorfer New York Showroom on 33rd Street, where she will perform both piano trios of Rachmaninov alongside pianist Yung Wook Yoo and cellist Margaret Arnadottir. The concert will serve as an exhibition performance, re-creating the repertoire the trio has recently released on a disc with Tavros Records.

Marveling at the notion that Sakharova is slated to perform an ensemble performance within forty-eight hours of her New York recital début, I just had to request a glimpse at Ms Sakharova's filofax, which rested neatly beside her on the table, never far from reach. My eyes scanned pages upon pages that were packed to the gills with pen-marks and cross-outs. Between rehearsals with her pianist, rehearsals with Sean Hickey, rehearsals with her trio, and carrying a full load of classes at Juilliard (where she is currently finishing out her postgraduate degree), Sakharova's schedule seemed to read like a page out of a self-help book on managing time effectively. Yet despite the overwhelming craze, the precocious young violinist has decidedly taken everything in stride.

'I just feel very lucky to work with so many other serious and dedicated artists,' she added with a quiet smile, 'many of whom I feel very privileged to call my friends.'