KEY POINTS:
Ilya Gringolts was only 16 when he topped the Premio Paganini Competition in 1998; since then it has been an international whirl for the Russian violinist, headlining with the orchestral greats and recently carrying off a Gramophone Award for a CD of Taneyev's chamber music.
While he lives in New York, for some years he has been "in and out of the big chaotic country that is Russia" but this is a nation that needs more than just improved concert halls in the big cities.
"People are badly paid in music schools, levels have come down and I find it quite provincial in terms of awareness of different music currents," he says.
Gringolts is eager to extend his repertoire with "underplayed" works, "which means people are not sick of hearing them and you can play with orchestras that will be excited about playing them for the first time".
The Russian modernist Roslavets heads his list, along with concertos by Weill, Hartmann and Korngold. "That whole period of the 20s and 30s is so fascinating in all the arts, with so many different styles and so many ideas with everybody trying to be original - and succeeding."
Throwing in a quotation from James Joyce, he feels that, with composers, originality is of prime importance as "that's what makes you an artist". Tomorrow night we will be hearing one of the most original when he tackles the Sibelius Concerto with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.
"I can recognise Sibelius' music in two seconds. The writing, the texture, the colours, it's all Sibelius," he says.
Does being Russian help? "Although we are close geographically, perhaps we are not so close in spirit. However, we do share some traits like our drinking habits - although any Finn could drink any Russian under the table."
Some Aucklanders will remember Gringolts' inspirational account of the Sibelius Concerto when he toured in 2003, and may have his Deutsche Grammophon recording of the work. Gringolts has enjoyed coming back to the piece after two or more years.
"It's not that it has been forgotten but when you clean it up a little bit, you find other things in it. In the meantime you've been living your life and when you touch it again, something is different without your realising.
"It needs a conductor who is willing to go with you and do the things you want to do, working out the balances. This has not happened so many times for me," he says, except for a concert with Kurt Masur and a youth orchestra.
A musician who had to make the transition from wunderkind to adult artist, he allows that youth may have a power of its own. Hopefully, age will bring him hindsight, "more of the bigger picture because right now I am very much into detail. I hope I can lose it some day."
He is philosophical about his Bach interpretations that seem a little on the wilful side. "I always have to hit my own head, make silly mistakes and see what I learn in the process."
How does a man who has 12 full-scale concertos in his repertoire relax? Gringolts is a film buff, singling out directors like Fassbinder and David Lynch.
This sounds a little on the bleak side. "It's my character," he laughs. "You can never be too bleak, it can always get worse."
He suddenly finds a link between Fassbinder and Lynch. Both are control freaks.
"But then if I had my own ideas I would be very attached to them," replies the judicious Gringolts. "That's what I find in music. It doesn't mean I don't listen to other people, but I don't let go of my ideas so easily."
* Who: Ilya Gringolts with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra
* Where and when: Auckland Town Hall, tomorrow (Thursday) 8pm
