The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

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Music professor hopes to introduce fresh opportunities

Down the halls of Cypress Hall, the sound of an elegantly beautiful piano is heard as Dr. Dmitry Rachmanov, the new assistant professor in the music department, easily produces a sense of calm as he plays the piano.

Rachmanov started playing the piano while living in Moscow when he was six-years-old. His parents were very musically inclined and music was always a large part of their lives, so naturally it was a big part of his life also.

Being so young when he started to play the piano, it was more his parents choice for him to play that instrument over any other. Rachmanov said the piano is universal and one of the easiest instruments to get acquainted with. Around the age of 11 he became more serious about music.

At the age of 18, Rachmanov moved to New York with his mother. While in New York he met Nadia Reisenberg, a very well respected pianist and teacher. Rachmanov described her as “very refined, eloquent.” He still remembers things she taught him, things she said or demonstrated and how she made the music come to life and make sense. Reisenberg had a very positive and influential role in Rachmanov’s music career. He said the impact she had on him is so strongly etched in his memory and that “makes who you are as a musician?the memories are clear and sharp.”

As a teacher, Rachmanov said he finds himself sometimes teaching the way she did and remembering when she taught him something and how she taught it.

While Reisenberg was a teacher of his, Rachmanov attended Julliard. Attending Julliard was very artistically conducive and it had an exciting atmosphere, the best and most influential part of attending Julliard for Rachmanov was the young, highly gifted musicians he was able to meet and collaborate with.

Throughout his career as a musician, Rachmanov has won many awards. One that has been very meaningful to him was the American Pianists Association fellowship he received. The Association took care of him for three years, gave him study grants and many performing opportunities. The American Pianists Association was very influential on him and helped his performance abilities.

As far as what awards mean to him, Rachmanov said that the “prizes are not necessarily important, but they help you along the way.”

While here at CSUN, Rachmanov has many plans, ideas and goals that he would like to introduce to the CSUN community as well as the larger community of Los Angeles. He said Los Angeles has a vibrant culture and that opens many opportunities to build the piano department at CSUN. One of his goals is to get involved with a local music teachers association and to try to recruit local talent in conjunction with the new Performing Arts Center and invite well-known performers from around the country and beyond. He wants to give workshops on master classes for CSUN students and have “recitals that would bring the department to a level of international recognition and in turn, attract more students to come study here.”

Although Rachmanov has just arrived to CSUN recently, he has noticed the faculty is excited about what they are doing, they work hard and they create a creative environment. He said once he gets more acquainted with the school and with the people at CSUN he would be able to have a more defined view of the school. He said this is an exciting opportunity and hopes that he “will be able to do a lot of good things, as much as I can to please this department?and hope to open new opportunities for the students.”

Rachmanov is feeling very positive about the semester. He said that people are wishing him well and they are very enthusiastic and welcoming.

Rachmanov was interested in CSUN because of the wonderful music department that he learned of from a colleague at CSU, Sacramento. Also, he is looking forward to the addition to CSUN of the new Performing Arts Center, which is scheduled to start construction this year and be completed by fall of 2009.

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