Natallia Kapylova: A passion for the piano

Bengaluru: Her career spans nearly 17 years and she has won much praise for her exceptionally moving performances. But despite all that, Belarusian pianist Natallia Kapylova, remains grounded and attributes her success to her teachers. Probably, that is one of the reasons that she has been so fortunate in the world of music. In a candid interview, this Bengaluru-based pianist opens up on music and being part of a legacy.

Natallia began her tryst with music when she was barely seven. Thanks to her kindergarten teacher, who noticed the young girl’s gift for the keys. “I was fortunate to be chosen as part of the Belarus State Conservatory. As part of tradition, music teachers travel through the country and identify talented musicians at a young age and train them,” says Natallia, who holds the highest degree in classical piano — Artist of Chamber Ensemble and Concertmaster Diploma. It took 17 years of non-stop practice, for Natallia to obtain that diploma. She takes pride in the Belarus legacy. “The line of teachers whom I trained under, go all the way back to the Johann Sebastian Bach and I am proud to come from such a traditional background. Also, there are no musicians in the family, so my parents did not understand where I found my calling,” she says with a laugh. Natallia is also popular for her combination of Baroque, classical and contemporary compositions. After working and performing in the academy for a considerable amount of time, it was love that brought this pianist to Bengaluru in 2002.

“I fell in love with my husband and moved to Bengaluru. And it has so far, been a terrific journey,” says the artist who has been performing in the city for the past seven years. About performing both as a soloist and as part of collaborations, she says: “It takes time for me to create a piece. I have this desire to ensure that each time I go on stage I need to produce something special for the audience”. And about Indian audiences coming to watch her shows, she says they are “appreciative.”

With the western scenario enjoying a widespread popularity, Natallia adds, “Western music is slowly gaining popularity here and now people are coming to enjoy performances and concerts. Since they have grown up on traditional Indian classical music, they take time to understand the nuances,” says the pianist, whose favourite composers remain Rachmaninov, Chopin and Bach.

She also draws her musical inspiration in a remarkable fashion. “We have to look for music from inside us, it isn’t just putting together a combination of pretty sounds. I draw inspiration from my life experiences, the books I read, the movies I watch and the people I meet.”