Professor Stanislav Pronin on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Professor Stanislav Pronin. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Stanislav, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: When was the last time you felt true joy?
I am very lucky because I feel true joy every single time I pick up my violin and make music. I feel truly sorry for those who spend their working days awaiting a few weeks or months of upcoming vacation. We spend most of our time at work, so it simply doesn’t make sense to not enjoy what we do professionally.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a violinist, composer and educator. Since the age of 10, I have performed as soloist and chamber musician at many festivals including Verbier Festival, Interlaken Classics, Banff Festival and Kronberg Festival. I perform regularly in America, Europe and Asia in such venues as Berliner Philharmonie, Carnegie Hall, Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Seoul Arts Center, Salzburg Festspiele, Paris Philharmonie, Royal Festival Hall and Royal Albert Hall in London, Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, Semperoper in Dresden, and so on. I have collaborated with numerous conductors including Daniel Barenboim, Leonard Slatkin, Leif Segerstram, Tobias Ringborg, Mario Venzago and Joshua Weilerstein.
In addition to solo and chamber music, I have also performed as Concertmaster with
Aarhus Symphony Orchestra and Odense Symphony Orchestra in Denmark, Austin
Lyric Opera in the USA, Berliner Symphoniker, Beethoven Bonn Orchestra and Freiburg Philharmonic in Germany, Musikkolegium Winterthur in Switzerland, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra in Estonia, Singapore Symphony and City of
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
I regularly give masterclasses worldwide and in such institutions as the Royal
College of Music in London, Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Estonian Academy of Music and Theater, University of Texas at Austin, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, and have been assistant to my mentor, Professor Zakhar Bron, at the Kronberg Academy. I am currently a Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen.
I perform on a rare 1736 violin by Giuseppe Guarneri Del Gesu (“ex-Heifetz”) on generous loan by an anonymous patron, with the kind assistance of the China Foundation.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
When I was 8 years old, having only played the violin for 2 weeks, my parents introduced me to the legendary Professor Zakhar Bron. They knew I was very fond of music in general and the violin in particular, but they wanted Prof. Bron to evaluate my abilities and tell them whether he saw any true potential in me. Having heard that I’d only picked up the violin a few weeks prior to our meeting, Prof. Bron basically laughed at the whole situation, as he’d long become accustomed to having mostly top-level child prodigies being introduced to him. However, once I began playing for him, he became quite serious and started to work with me, so the audition quickly turned into an actual lesson. When my parents noticed his apparent interest, they asked him for his honest feedback. He said that, if my parents didn’t encourage me to continue my training as a violinist, it would be the biggest mistake in their lives. 2 years later, at the age of 10, I had made my performance debut.

When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
Whenever I felt negative emotions, I always found an escape through music, visual arts and literature, all of which transported me into an alternate dimension of positivity and well-being.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
I understood very early in my life that talent without hard work and discipline is absolutely useless. Therefore, I make sure my lifestyle reflects this philosophy. Excellence is definitely a habit, not a random lucky occurrence.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
No matter what I’ve achieved, it’s never enough for me. For example, I’ve always had a dream to make my solo debut at the Berliner Philharmonie. Once it actually happened, I was satisfied for the rest of the evening, then got up the next morning and started practicing and preparing for my next upcoming project. I think it’s important to continue building one’s legacy and not to look back at past achievements too often. I always strive for progress and self-improvement, which keeps me sharp and alert. I view my musical career as a marathon, not a sprint.

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