Rinat Sagidovich Shakirov was born in 1962 in Karaganda (Kazakhstan) in Tatar family of deep cultural traditions.
In the family he received comprehensive education. He studied several languages – German, English, Tatar, Kazakh. He was engaged in various types of sport: chess, hockey, athletics – receiving 1st category results in all of them. Since he was nine years old he received private music lessons, in which succeeded too. He was keen on by physics and mathematics – he won repeatedly several Olympiads, therefore in 1979 he graduated with honors from physic-and-mathematics school and he was admitted to Leningrad Polytechnical Institute named after M. I. Kalinin to the faculty of nuclear physics. He never studied in musical school.
In 1982 he decided to change his career trade cardinally and was admitted to musical college in Temir-Tau (Kazakhstan) to the class of Alfred Rippe (who now lives in Marburg, Germany). In the the college period Rinat repeatedly became the winner of regional piano competitions (Alma-Ata, Frunze), where he was heard by exceptional Soviet pianist Lev Vlasenko. In subsequent years, the contact with that musician noticeably influenced the future pianist.
From 1985 to 1992 Rinat Shakirov studied at St. Petersburg State Conservatory in the class of Stanislav Igolinsky and also in Moscow Conservatory at professor Lev Vlasenko.
The deep impact of this pianist to feelings and mind of spectators – listeners is based on his deep knowledge of philosophy, of poetry, of technical and natural sciences, harmoniously blending with enormous work capacity and thirst of professional and universal self-improvement.
Stanislav IGOLINSKY
Honored Artist of Russia,
the professor of Moscow state conservatory named after P. I. Tchaikovsky
In 90s the pianist Rinat Shakirov continued an active concert activity in Russia, dive into the abyss of modern urgent music. His repertoir included compositions of Villa-Lobos and Mijo, Ligeti and Ohana, Laurier and Webern, Messiaen and Hindemith. Many of remarkable composers dedicate him their creations.
Shakirov participates in various international festivals of modern music in different countries – «Geteborg Art Sound», “Europe – Asia”, ” The musical spring of Petersburg”, “Another space”, “Japanese spring in Petersburg”, “Panorama of music from Russia”, “The Delta of Neva” and other (etc.)
Festivals geography, in which Rinat Shakirov participated, is very extensive. In Russia it includes Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Kazan, Petrozavodsk, Oryol, as well as European countries – Italy, Finland, France, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland.
It is not so important to say much about Rinat Shakirov, his execution of the music of Bach, Mozart, Chopin as it is important to listen his performance much. And then the chorus of his guardian angels will become visible and understandable.
Victor GONCHAERNKO
producer, honored worker of arts of Russia and Ukraine.
At the same time Rinat Shakirov turns to the music of Tatar composers, he plays constantly the compositions have already became classic: compositions of R. Yahin, R. Enikeev, A. Monasypov, R. Kalimullin, M. Yarullin and others. At the insistence of Mirsaid Yarullin – a brother of Farid Yarullin – in 2002 Rinat converted his improvisations to themes from ballet “Shurale” of F. Yarullin to his own piano suite in seven parts. Subsequently, this suite had an unchanging success, in any countries it was performed – in Russia, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Finland…
In 2005 and in 2010 by publishing house “The Composer” in Moscow was issued a concert suite on the same-named ballet “Shurale” of F. Yarullin – R. Shakirov.
Working in organising committees on execution of holiday events to St. Petersburg 300-anniversary (2003г.) and by 1000-anniversary of Kazan (2005г.), Rinat Shakirov realises his initiatives successfully – organisation of musical festivals, records of CDs of famous musicians.
Since that time the musician successfully combines his concert, educational and public activities. From 2003 he works in the Board of Petersburg Union of Concert Actor, and in 2011 he was elected to be its Chairman.
Rinat Shakirov is a friend and the colleague of the composers community of Russia. I appreciate him for our common love to the music, for fidelity to the chosen way.
Vladislav KAZENIN
the chairman of Russia Composers’ Union, People’s Artist of Russia
Rinat Shakirov is the organiser and the co-founder of various international musical competitions and festivals in Russia, constantly works in jury of more than 20 piano competitions (frequently as a jury Chairman).
Founder and art director of musical festival “The names of Petersburg”.
Worked as an expert of piano factory SAUTER in Stuttgart (Germany).
Rinat Shakirov constantly gives concerts in Russia and abroad. He co-operates with many orchestras and conductors, such as Fuat Mansurov, Ravil’ Martynov, Alexander Kantorov, Dmitry Khokhlov, Fabio Mastranzhelo, Igor Manasherov, Sergei Stadler, Alexander Sladkovskij, Rustem Abyazov.
His performances were recorded by Radio of Russia, Radio of Tatarstan and Radio of Kazakhstan, and were released on nine CDs.
Now Rinat Shakirov is the Chairman of Petersburg Union of Concert Actors, the member of the Presidium of International Union of Musical Actors, the president of “The Centre of Arts” Petersburg Names” and is active in educational and popularizational areas of classical music. He is awarded by the medal “300 years to St. Petersburg”, medal “To Kazan 1000-anniversary”, honorary medal of the Ministry of culture RT “For achievements in culture”, Gold medal of international musical festival “Delta Neva”.
Honored artist of Russian Federation (2006).
People’s artist of Republic of Tatarstan (2010).
I know Rinat Shakirov as a gifted pianist who treats his work thoughtfully and laboriously, genuine creative person with his own understanding of music and its high mission: his performance of eternal classic or is always emotionally full, in respect of both eternal classics and of bold, sometimes disputable experiences of composers. Many composers are grateful to him for the perfect performance of their creations.All his concerts, wherever they take place, Rinat Shakirov aspires to transform in celebration, where each visitor would be able to feel unity with sounding music and the musician on the stage.
Andrey Pavlovich PETROV
People’s Artist of USSR