One of the brightest and most original musicians of his generation, violinist Roman Mints has performed with dozens of renowned musicians and conductors, and his recordings have been released on leading labels. After the war began, Mints left Russia and returned to the United Kingdom, where he now teaches extensively and develops new projects.
Today, Mints is at the center of musical life: his new album Kol Nidre is being released, and in January he will present the Another Music Festival in London.

We spoke with him about these and other events, in which — as in his entire life — freedom, responsibility, and an endless faith in the power of music intertwine.

What does teaching mean to you?

I often meet people who say, “Teaching is terribly hard and exhausting.” For me, teaching turned out to be a natural part of who I am — though I never originally planned to do it.

So it was a forced step?

When I was young, I was an assistant to my professor, Felix Andrievsky, so I spent a lot of time in his lessons. I had lived here [in the UK] since 1994, but later I ended up in Moscow, where I never really saw myself within the teaching system. I just couldn’t stand the atmosphere.

The only thing I did there was teach chamber ensemble — a subject much freer than violin. And I did it mainly so that I could offer children an alternative to the reality I saw around me. But that didn’t last long; the environment simply rejected me. The years I spent in Britain made me a different person.

…