Which composition are cellists grateful to Sergei Rachmaninoff for? Is their repertoire extensive in the composer's heritage? - watch the interview with Alexander Ramm, the winner of the 2nd prize of the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition.

Sergei Rachmaninoff spoke a little about himself and his character traits. But in his letters and memoirs of people close to him, one can find curious facts that will help draw a portrait not only of a genius, but of a person. Polina Malikova (Tolstun), the actress of Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater read for the "My Rachmaninoff" project the memoirs of the writer Marietta Shaginyan, who knew the composer in 1912-1917, and one of Rachmaninoff's letters to her.

Winner of the 3rd prize at the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition, pianist Konstantin Emelyanov told us about his first acquaintance with Rachmaninoff's music, its melodica and tragedy.

We asked Dmitry Bertman, the General and Artistic Director of the Helikon-Opera Theatre, People's Artist of Russia, what could Rachmaninoff's music teach our contemporaries, what were his romances about and why there are not a lot of Rachmaninoff's opera works on theatre stages.

The world famous ballet dancer, People's Artist of Russia Nikolai Tsiskaridze read for My Rachmaninoff letters of Sergei Rachmaninoff and Michel Fokine from the time of the production of Paganini ballet to the music of the famous Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

Is Rachmaninoff being studied in music academies around the world, what are his requirements for performers, and why do pianists love his music? Watch an interview for My Rachmaninoff with Fabio Mastrangelo, the Artistic Director of the St. Petersburg Music Hall Theatre, chief conductor of symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Yakutsk.

Everyone has their own Rachmaninoff. He is special to everybody. After all, his music is not in your fingers, it is in your soul - said People’s Artist of Russia, Professor of Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Vladimir Ovchinnikov. Watch his interview for the My Rachmaninoff online-project.

Ildar Abdrazakov, Honored Artist of Russia and famous opera singer, read some fragments of letters and memoirs of Sergei Rachmaninoff about Fyodor Chaliapin.

On the eve of the Rachmaninoff International Competition for Pianists, Composers and Conductors and the upcoming 150th anniversary since the birth of Sergei Rachmaninoff, we are launching the media project "My Rachmaninoff". In a series of videos you will find interviews with world-famous musicians and narrating of letters of Sergei Vasilyevich. Watch new releases every week on the official website and in VKontakte.

Our interview with the composer, People's Artist of Russia Alexander Tchaikovsky turned out to be detailed. The chairman of the jury in the specialty "Composition" spoke about the features of the composer competition, the prospects for young authors and what the fate of Sergei Rachmaninoff had taught him.

"Sergei Rachmaninoff's music is Russia. When you hear it, you imagine this vast expanses of our nature. This is music with a huge sigh". Artistic Director of the Rachmaninoff International Competition, People's Artist of Russia, pianist Denis Matsuev, by his own admission, could talk about Rachmaninoff for hours. We asked him about the music of Sergei Vasilyevich and about the Competition named after Rachmaninoff, which is held on the initiative of Denis Matsuev. Watch the final interview of the My Rachmaninoff project.

Dmitry Masleev dreamed of performing Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini - his favourite piece - from the age of 13. We talked with the owner of the Gold Medal of the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition about that, as well as about the technical difficulties in the music of Sergei Rachmaninoff and the style of his recordings.

“Before the performance of the Symphony, I had an exaggeratedly high opinion of it ... I will not show the Symphony and impose a ban on looking in my will”, Sergei Rachmaninoff wrote about his Symphony № 1. Its failed premiere in 1897 was not easy for the composer - Rachmaninoff wrote almost nothing for the next few years. But then he gave the world a grand Piano Concerto № 2. A few months after the first performance, the composer shared his impressions of the symphony in a letter to Alexander Zataevich. Actor Evgeniy Dyatlov read it for My Rachmaninoff project.

Pianist Polina Osetinskaya told "My Rachmaninoff" project about Sergei Rachmaninoff's "hits", ways of interacting with his music and a playlist to start with.

“Rachmaninoff is my life. If there was no his music, if I didn’t know it, I probably would have been a different person,” says Valery Polyansky, People’s Artist of Russia, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the State Symphony Capella of Russia. Watch the new interview for "My Rachmaninoff" project.

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, People's Artist of the USSR Vladimir Fedoseyev told how Rachmaninoff was perceived in Soviet times, the intricacies of his music and plans for the celebration of the 150th anniversary since the composer's birth.

"Rachmaninoff teaches us the hardest things - sincerity, courage, frankness of expression, but with the highest taste," says violist, conductor, People's Artist of the USSR Yuri Bashmet.

Can an orchestra play without a conductor, and what difficulties does he face in Sergei Rachmaninoff's scores? - People's Artist of the USSR, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra Yuri Simonov told about that to My Rachmaninoff project.