Singer Alexander Gradsky, at 64 years old, is preparing to become a father again. His young wife Marina Kotashenko is expecting a child.
Now Marina is in New York and is being monitored in one of the best clinics. It is possible that she will give birth there.
According to rumors, Gradsky’s wife is due to give birth in September. This will be the singer's third child. He already has a son, Danila, and a daughter, Maria.
She is 31 years old, a graduate of the Faculty of Law of Kyiv University and VGIK, a former famous Moscow model. Today she is an actress and wife famous person, singer and composer.
What could be better than such family status, which provides constant advertising and special public interest?! There is also a lot of attention because the husband in this creative duet is a little older than even her parents?
An ordinary street acquaintance that predetermined the fate of Gradsky’s future wife
Doesn't the flirting of men in such a banal place look romantic at all? But, knowing A. Gradsky’s attitude towards himself, his character - a volcano of ambition, a frantic temperament - there is no doubt that hardly anyone would have remained indifferent.
What can you say and how to interest and attract the attention of a beautiful girl? Only in this city-like way, fun and immodest: “Would you like to touch history?” Of course, you can speculate on the topic “did Marina recognize the celebrity or not?”, gloat over the expensive brand of car in which Alexander Borisovich drove up to her. But few would refuse to be in the company of such a person for at least a few moments.
And then charming and winning a heart, if Gradsky wanted, is no longer a problem. Because it’s interesting to be with him, he knows how to love and pamper. But it doesn’t consist of constant beautiful meetings and gifts. ordinary life. A day or two later, the most unexpected sides of your loved one’s character are revealed.
Kotashenko and Gradsky have been together since 2003. And, for sure, not just with him! What about his children? You need to be not just a wife, but a diplomat, remain self-sufficient and at the same time live not only by your passions. And this is no longer just a “casual connection”, but the life of a family, supported by reliable feelings, trusting and kind relationships towards each other. Then it is clear why the main motive of Marina and Alexander Borisovich’s declarations of love - pride in their loved ones - is heard in all their interviews.
Creative person M. Kotashenko is a real Scorpio
A passionate, impulsive, bright sign forces its owners to work hard. Alexander and his wife are precisely representatives of such characters for whom the option of idleness and empty narcissism is unacceptable. She may not yet have leading roles in TV series intended for home viewing, but they are not the same. You can easily verify this by watching the comedy “How I Met Your Mother,” the sitcom “Toys,” or the detective story “The Crime Will Be Solved.”
But all this is not bad for an aspiring actress. In the studio theater Vs. Shilovsky M. Kotashenko has more serious and noticeable roles. Complex characters and different time frames for their embodiment make it possible to reveal new facets of Marina the actress. Confirmation of this:
- the sparkling image of the temptress, the intriguing blonde Zhasant in the comedy " Masculine, singular";
- the real Englishwoman Magda in “The Key for Two” by D. Chapman and D. Freeman;
- the funny American Lisbeth in the scandalous tragicomedy “Bachelorette” by L. Cunningham; Laura
- and, finally, the real touching Russian Lydia Yuryevna in “Mad Money”.
Some people think that this is a simple way - the husband organized the necessary performances, arranging the career of M. Kotashenko. Someone gloats, calling this couple “beauty and the beast,” not thinking about how painfully these evil arrows hurt on the sly.
So far, Gradsky’s wife herself has successfully refuted all the rumors. She is an integral person and a talented person. English and vocals, a passion for horse riding and swimming, roller skating and fencing... And there is also a whole list of new roles for the actress. And all this indicates that Marina Kotashenko is ready for new victories and achievements. And they will!
His personality arouses people's interest different ages and musical tastes. How old Gradsky Alexander? Who does he live with now? What projects does he participate in? You will find all the necessary information in the article.
Brief biography
The future composer, poet and musician was born in the city of Kopeisk (Chelyabinsk region). This happened on November 3, 1949. My father worked as a mechanical engineer, and my mother was a professional actress. The Gradskys did not live in the province for long. When Sasha turned 8 years old, the family moved to Moscow. At first they had to huddle in an eight-meter communal apartment. The parents made a lot of efforts to ensure that their son received a decent education. They found the best music teachers for him. The secondary school that Alexander went to was located in the center of the capital.
At the age of 14, Gradsky lost his mother. Talented actress died suddenly. Ironically, it was this year that Sasha made her singing debut.
In 1974 he received a diploma of successful completion of the chamber faculty solo singing(in Gnesinka).
Career
Gradsky is the creator of one of the first rock bands in the Soviet Union. It was called "Slavs". Then the group was twice renamed “Skomorokhi” and “Scythians”. In 1969, the musicians managed to achieve popularity. Almost all of Moscow listened to the songs of “Skomorokhov”.
Since 1972, Alexander Gradsky began working in the studio. He wrote the music and lyrics himself. In 1973, Andron Konchalovsky turned to the composer with a request to write music for his film “Romance of Lovers”. The experiment turned out to be extremely successful. In 1974, the Western magazine Billboard awarded Gradsky the title of “Star of the Year,” assessing his contribution to the global music industry. From then on, our hero regularly delighted the Soviet public with new hits, attracting sold-out concerts. How old was Gradsky Alexander then? Approximately 25-26 years old.
Ex-wives
“How old is Gradsky?” - is not the only question that fans of the composer ask. The female part is interested in the details of his personal life. We are ready to satisfy their curiosity.
It is known that Alexander has three official marriages behind him. The composer's first wife was Natalya Smirnova. How old was Gradsky at that time? About twenty. The young girl could not cope with the complex character of the musician of the group “Skomorokhi”. As a result, she ran away on the third day after the wedding. In a recent interview, Gradsky called his first marriage “an act of youth.” From this we can conclude that there were no strong feelings between him and Natalya. Soon the girl began dating another lead singer of Skomorokhov, Gleb May.
In 1976, Gradsky married again. His choice fell on the beautiful actress Anastasia Vertinskaya. The idyll in their relationship did not last long. In 1980, the marriage broke up.
Olga became the third legal wife of the composer. Little is known about her. However, it was in this marriage that Alexander twice experienced the happiness of fatherhood. In March 1981, his wife gave him an heir. The boy was named Daniel. And in January 1986, another addition to the family occurred. This time a daughter, Mashenka, was born. The marriage with Olga lasted almost 20 years. And the point is not that an idyll reigned in their relationship. Only friends and relatives knew that the spouses lived in different apartments. Gradsky regularly came to Olga to visit the children. In 2003, the marriage was officially dissolved. No scandals or complaints. How old was Gradsky at that time? Only 54 years old. A man in his prime. I must say that our today's hero was not alone for long.
Current wife
The composer met his fourth wife in 2003. The tall and slender blonde immediately attracted the master's attention. Surely you are wondering how old Alexander Gradsky’s wife is. 11 years younger than him. The girl moved to Moscow from Kyiv. She has studied at VGIK, worked in a modeling agency and filmed several films. How old was Gradsky’s wife at the time they met? Approximately 22-23 years old. Why did the young and beautiful girl in a man over 50? Most likely, charisma and incredible energy.
The couple has been living together for 10 years. They recently became happy parents. A charming son was born, who was named Alexander in honor of his father. Marina gave birth not in Moscow, but in New York. The caring husband found one of the best clinics in advance and paid for the medical services in full. Labor began 2 weeks earlier than planned. The composer was in Moldova at that time, where he was awarded the title of People's Artist of the Republic. Next to Marina was Gradsky’s daughter from his third marriage, Maria. Immediately after the concert, the happy father rushed to a New York clinic to see his child. The Gradsky family returned to Moscow only on September 26. Now they live in the elite village of Novoglagolevo, which is 35 kilometers from the capital.
Fans are interested in how old Gradsky’s wife is now. Those who do not personally know the girl and see her only in photographs give her no more than 25 years old. According to Marina, looking good helps her proper nutrition, sports and, of course, love. On November 22, 2014, the composer’s wife celebrated her 34th birthday.
Creativity and recognition
Do you know how old Gradsky was when he was awarded the title “People’s Artist of the Russian Federation”? This happened in 2000. Knowing the master's date of birth, it is easy to calculate that he received the high award at the age of 51. V. Putin personally congratulated him.
Since 1987, Gradsky has been a member of the Union of Composers. He has 15 released discs and hundreds of songs to his credit. In addition, he wrote music for 40 films. And for the TV series “Gangster Petersburg” Alexander performed his song “The City That Doesn’t Exist”, which later became a hit. However, this composition is not considered the most popular. The song “How Young We Were” takes first place. Until 1990, Gradsky did not perform it at concerts, although the audience really liked it. The reason why the master did this remained unknown. But now everything has changed. For several years now, the master has been opening his concerts with this song.
Gradsky Alexander is among the first Soviet artists to travel abroad. He managed to work with such A-list stars as Sammy Davis and Liza Minnelli. The founder of Russian rock visited Sweden, Germany, Greece and even Japan.
Talented children
We have already mentioned that Gradsky has a son and daughter from his third marriage. The father tries to protect them from excessive media attention. How old are Gradsky’s daughter and his son? What are they doing? Now you will find out everything.
28-year-old Maria graduated from Moscow State University several years ago. The girl has an excellent relationship not only with her father, but also with her young stepmother. And she simply adores her little stepbrother. A year ago, Masha was offered a job on Channel One. She became a TV presenter on the talk show “In Our Time.”
Daniil, Gradsky’s first son, recently turned 33 years old. This is a charismatic and talented young man. He is a great singer and a born entertainer. Viewers of the “Voice” project were able to verify this. The third season was marked by the arrival of the star offspring on the show. Daniel went to “The Voice” without warning his father. And Gradsky, in turn, did not recognize his son. When the guy was singing, Dima Bilan and Pelageya turned to him. Despite the fact that his talent was appreciated by two jury members, Daniil decided to leave the show. This news saddened the audience. But the guy himself considered it dishonest to take someone else’s place. After all, many will think that he got into the project through connections.
The profession of Gradsky's son is an economist. Recently, the young man has been doing business and is interested in extrasensory perception. The composer loves all his children and tries to provide them with a decent future. Six months ago, he decided to build a house for Daniil in the village of Novoglagolevo. According to the approved project, it will be a two-story cottage with an area of 280 square meters.
Double anniversary
For those who do not know how old Gradsky is in 2014, we inform you. Famous musician 65 years old. Festive concert took place on November 25 at Crocus City Hall. The maestro performed his famous hits and accompanied him academic orchestra them. Knowing the answer to the question of how old Gradsky Alexander is now, it’s hard to believe it. After all, he looks younger. Meanwhile, the composer celebrated a double anniversary - his 65th birthday and 50 years creative activity. His friends and colleagues, including outstanding musicians, singers, actors and directors, came to congratulate Gradsky.
Tour
Knowing how old Gradsky is now, it’s hard to believe that he is as active as in his youth, continues to record songs, compose music and participate in television projects. The composer's touring activities deserve special attention. Issues related to organizing concerts and inviting stars to corporate events, weddings and anniversaries are resolved by Gradsky’s personal assistant.
Participation in "The Voice"
For the third season we can watch Alexander Gradsky as part of the star jury. If you believe the information in the print media, the composer’s fee reaches $2 million. But for Gradsky, participation in the project is not only an additional source of income. The program provides him with an excellent opportunity - to select talented guys and make real pop stars out of them. After all, the master is no longer young, which means it’s time to start preparing a worthy replacement. How old was Gradsky in 2013 when his ward Sergei Volchkov won? It's not at all difficult to calculate. Then the composer was 64 years old. He bet on an intelligent Belarusian guy and hit the nail on the head. The guy easily beat the potential leader of the project, Nargiz Zakirova.
We are ready to tell you about Gradsky what will not be written in newspapers and magazines. Here are some interesting facts from his life.
- Until the age of 14, he bore the last name Fradkin. But after the death of his mother, he decided to perpetuate her memory. For this, Alexander took her last name, becoming Gradsky.
- Unlike other public people, the master does not like to be photographed.
- In the group “Skomorokhi” he created, he was the keyboard player
- It was Gradsky who came up with the words “scoop” and “zhurnalyuga”.
Afterword
Now you know how old Gradsky is in 2014, where he lives, who his wives were and what talents his children have. We wish our beloved composer inspiration and success in his work. And, of course, happiness in your personal life.
Alexander Gradsky is not only famous singer, but also a famous composer who, despite his age, never ceases to amaze fans with his inexhaustible talent. He is famous in the field national stage, and throughout his career was able to not only write, but also perform many songs.
It is worth mentioning that back in school he tried to conquer the real stage and earn the love of the audience. He always had a love for music, although as a child he hated playing, for example, the violin for several hours at a time. But in the end, Alexander Gradsky was able to realize himself as a worthy musician.
Height, weight, age. How old is Alexander Gradsky
Many who are interested in the personality of this musician are interested in his height, weight, and age. It’s easy to answer how old Alexander Gradsky is - the composer is already 68 years old. With a height of 180 centimeters, the musician weighs 93 kilograms. And from the photographs it is clear that he has a small amount excess weight. At the same time, he always maintains a good mood and, perhaps, this is one of the reasons why Gradsky manages to maintain popularity and retain the love of the audience for so long.
If you look at the photo of Alexander Gradsky in his youth and now, you can see that he always wore glasses. During his career, they became an integral attribute of the composer's appearance.
Biography and personal life of Alexander Gradsky
Throughout school years The future musician was mainly interested in the humanities. The same cannot be said about more accurate ones. Gradsky was especially interested in literature. It is known that already at the age of 14 he was able to write his first poem. In addition, at the same time he began to participate in the creative life of the school - he read poetry, played the guitar and even went to a theater club, where he showed very good results. Interestingly, his parents were in no way connected with musical activity. Father - Boris Fradkin - worked as a mechanical engineer. And my mother, Tamara Gradskaya, was an actress and director. But later she became an employee of the Theater Life magazine. The guy made his final decision to become a musician at the age of 15, when he began to get interested in by The Beatles. It was then that the biography and personal life of Alexander Gradsky took a new turn.
The performer began his career in mid. 60s. It was created by him music group called “Slavs”, which slowly but surely became more and more popular over time. I had to turn to part-time jobs in addition to performing, because there was absolutely not enough money for equipment. And every next step brought Gradsky closer to his dream of becoming a real professional in the field of music. Real fame came to Alexander when he graduated from university. Then his tours around the country began, and his career began to rapidly climb the mountain. In the 70-80s he was able to win the love of the public.
Of course, things happened to Alexander, but he was still able to achieve fame. Gradsky became a novelty in the musical field. His songs could be heard in every home. If we talk about the personal life of this man, it is quite eventful. First of all, it is worth noting that Alexander Gradsky was not particularly lucky with his women. Maybe the whole point here is that he lost his own mother early.
His first wife was a girl named Natalya Smirnova. It is not known for certain whether they are communicating now ex-lovers, but as the musician himself later said, this marriage was not something really serious for him. And this seems to be true, because the family lived together for only a few months. His next wife was Anastasia Vertinskaya. Alexander had already lived with her for a couple of years, but he could not avoid divorce in this case either. His next wife, with whom the musician lived for twenty-three years, gave him a son and daughter. Currently Gradsky lives with his new wife, Marina Kotashenko, who is thirty years younger than him. And, by the way, she also gave the composer a son. Only time will tell whether this marriage will be Gradsky’s last.
Family and children of Alexander Gradsky
The family and children of Alexander Gradsky are what currently occupy a special place in his life. Currently, the composer's family consists of his wife Marina and three children - Daniil, Alexander and Maria Gradsky.
Let us remind you that Daniil and Maria Gradsky have long been adults and today they are the only ones, like their father, who work in the field of show business, although they were not able to reach such heights in it as he did. Although, in fairness, it is worth mentioning that they did not strive for anything like that. In addition, we should not forget about the youngest heir of the musician, whom she gave him last wife- Marina.
Sons of Alexander Gradsky - Daniil and Alexander
The sons of Alexander Gradsky - Daniil and Alexander - are his only sons, although born from different women and in different times. But little is known about both. So, for example, Daniil, the eldest son, was born in 1981. Currently, he works as a businessman, which, however, does not prevent him from making music.
As mentioned earlier, the guy was born in the composer’s third marriage with Olga Gradskaya. The musician’s youngest son, Alexander, is only four years old and, unlike his half-brother and sister, he is just beginning to explore this world. But it is possible that in the future the boy will also want to connect his life with music.
Daughter of Alexander Gradsky - Maria
The daughter of Alexander Gradsky, Maria Gradskaya, was also born in the musician’s third marriage. She is five years younger than her brother Daniel. As it already becomes clear, Maria is already an adult. It is not known for certain whether she has her own family. But there is information that she works not only as a TV presenter, but also as an art manager. Moreover, he really loves what he does, so he always tries to do his job “excellently.”
As you can see, very little is known about the children of the composer Gradsky, but at least the elders have already “flyed” from the nest and are living independent life. Which, in turn, is what little Sasha has yet to do.
Ex-wives of Alexander Gradsky - Natalya Gradskaya, Anastasia Vertinskaya, Olga Gradskaya
We can say that the famous composer had quite a lot of women. But, be that as it may, ex-wives Alexandra Gradsky - Natalya Gradskaya, Anastasia Vertinskaya, Olga Gradskaya - each of them played a specific role in the life of the future showman.
Alexander first married in his youth, to a girl named Natalya. This marriage lasted only a few months. For the second time, Gradsky married actress Anastasia Vertinskaya, but it did not bring the expected happiness to the musician, although it lasted a couple of years.
Alexander’s third wife was a woman named Olga Gradskaya - with her the master lived for twenty-three years, and it was with her that he first learned the joy of fatherhood. But this family could not be saved from breaking up.
Alexander Gradsky's wife - Marina Kotashenko
Fourteen years ago, the musician married for the fourth time. It’s interesting that this time Alexander Gradsky’s wife, Marina Kotashenko, is old enough to be her husband’s daughter. She is thirty years younger than her chosen one. The couple met on the street and Marina admitted that the musician made a serious impression on her. Now she is happily married and the musician takes care of her. Kotashenko currently works as a fashion model and also appears in TV series. Ten years after the start of the relationship, Marina gave birth to her husband a little son, whom the musician loves very much, like his other children.
According to Alexander himself, unlike his wife, he cannot boast ideal forms, but is not at all complex about this. Quite the opposite - I’m even glad that Marina chose him and not someone younger and more beautiful.
Instagram and Wikipedia of Alexander Gradsky
If you wish, you can find a lot of information about this person on the Internet, on a variety of sites. Of course, the most popular pages for this matter are such pages as Instagram and Wikipedia of Alexander Gradsky. There you can find a variety of facts about creative path this amazing man, his development as a composer and performer, details about the details of his personal life, and so on.
On your Instagram profile page you can always see the latest photos and videos with captions. In particular, these are pictures from rehearsals or vacations. Thus, any information about this celebrity is available to ordinary fans.
His father is a mechanical engineer by profession, his mother is an actress. drama theater. At one time, she was invited to play at the Moscow Art Theater, but she was forced to leave with her husband to the Urals, where he was assigned after graduation. In Kopeisk, Alexander’s parents are still remembered; on the stand of the Palace of Culture there is a mention of Tamara Pavlovna as the head of an amateur theater, several of whose artists subsequently made professional careers
The family returned to Moscow in 1957. Alexander's father, Boris Abramovich Fradkin, worked at the plant, his mother managed theater clubs, and then was a literary employee at the Theater Life magazine. Due to the excessive employment of his parents, before going to school, Alexander lived with his grandmother Maria Ivanovna Gradskaya in the Moscow region, in the village of Rastorguevo, Butovo district.
Alexander Gradsky about the family Mom
- Gradskaya Tamara Pavlovna, graduated from GITIS, N. Plotnikov’s course, actress, director, then literary staff member of the “Theater Life” magazine.
Mom's parents:
Gradsky Pavel Ivanovich - master of leather goods tailoring, died tragically in 1948.
Gradskaya (nee Pavlova) Maria Ivanovna, housewife. Died in 1980
Mom's brother - Gradsky Boris Pavlovich, artist of the Igor Moiseev ensemble, dancer, played the button accordion beautifully, composed plays for the button accordion, died in 2002.
Dad
- Fradkin Boris Abramovich, graduated from MAMI, mechanical engineer, worked until he was 83 years old, died in 2013.
Dad's parents:
Fradkina (née Chvertkina) Rosa Ilyinichna, worked as a secretary-typist for about 50 years, died in Moscow at the age of 100, in 1996, “grandmother of Russian rock and roll”, welcomed all my professional colleagues who visited our house , for which she deserved this characteristic among them.
Fradkin Abram Semenovich, was divorced from his grandmother at the age of 50, worked as a house manager in Kharkov, and died there at an old age.
Before my mother’s death, I bore my father’s surname; I took the surname Gradsky immediately after her death in 1963 in memory of her.
In Moscow, the family - dad, mom, grandmother (dad's mother) and Sasha - for several years, up to early death mother (in 1963), lived in an eight-meter basement on the corner of Frunzenskaya Embankment, in the “company” of nine other families. From 1958 to 1965, Gradsky, at the insistence of his parents, studied violin at a music school (teacher - student of E.F. Gnesina V.V. Sokolov). The following fact speaks about how good this teacher was: when Sokolov, for some purely everyday reasons, was forced to move to the less prestigious school named after. Dunaevsky, almost his entire “Gnesin” class left behind him. The boy really liked music lessons at school, but the need for hours of home exercise was depressing.
IN secondary school relationships with objects developed somehow immediately. Sasha did not like all mathematical disciplines, physics and chemistry, but history and literature immediately became his element. He voraciously read prose and poetry, and at the age of thirteen he wrote his first poem. Early (for those times) he became acquainted with Western music (E. Presley, B. Haley, E. Fitzgerald, L. Armstrong, F. Sinatra), on the Soviet stage he preferred songs performed by M. Bernes, K. Shulzhenko, L. Ruslanova, was fond of classical singing (Caruso, Chaliapin, Gigli, Callas).
Sasha’s uncle (mother’s brother) worked in the Moiseevsky ensemble (folk dance ensemble of the USSR), one of the few groups that were allowed to tour abroad not only in the countries of the socialist camp, but also in the largest capitalist powers. Thus, my uncle was among those who were lucky enough to participate several times in months-long tours across America. When my uncle returned from abroad, he brought not only foreign things, but also records with outlandish music, which in the Soviet Union only party officials and diplomatic workers had the opportunity to listen to. In my uncle’s collection there were as many as five or six (a rarity at that time!) records: Elvis Presley ’57, Louis Armstrong, an album by saxophonist Steve Getz, some blues. So, thanks to his uncle’s magnificent records and a luxurious “branded” stereo system, Sasha, already at the age of 10-12, had the opportunity to listen to the most modern music in world terms. But he was an aspiring musician, he could appreciate the quality of sound and voice... Alexander himself believes that it was then that he received the first rock and roll impulse, which fell on fertile soil - he was already captivated by the work of domestic performers such as Mark Bernes, Klavdiya Shulzhenko and Lydia Ruslanova. And one more interesting fact: at the age of thirteen, young Gradsky went to the “sound letters” studio on Gorky Street (now Tverskaya) and recorded the song “Tutti-Frutti” by Little Richard. However, under socialist conditions, Presley’s lucky chance was not repeated, and the flexible gramophone record, according to Alexander, “is still lying around somewhere.”
All this was subsequently reflected in his writing and singing style. Already while studying at school, Gradsky tried his hand at school evenings, singing, accompanying himself on guitar and piano, and playing in a theater group...
At the end of 1963, Gradsky appears at the Moscow State University interclub and sings with a group of Polish students “Cockroaches” at several concerts (the repertoire includes two blues and one rock and roll by E. Presley). The first song that Alexander Gradsky performed as part of “Cockroaches” was A. Babajanyan’s twist “ Best city land”, and during the performance the microphones in the hall were turned off and the finale of the song was performed without them to the “mad” reception of the students.
1964 - the time of moving to a more or less decent apartment and... The Beatles!...
It was then that the decision was made to become a musician, singer, guitarist, composer, poet, in short - Alexander Gradsky...
In 1965, A. Gradsky and Mikhail Turkov organized a group called SLAVS. Later they were joined by Viktor Degtyarev (bass guitar) and Vyacheslav Dontsov (drums). After another two months, Vadim Maslov (electric organ). SLAVS, the third Soviet rock band by the time of its creation (after “Brothers” and “Falcons”), which became famous and popular, lasted in this composition for no more than a year. The band's repertoire consisted almost entirely of songs "The Beatles" and " Rolling Stones". Alexander Gradsky decided that only the Russian language should be the basis of his future music and songs. Hence the creation of the group SKOMOROKHI (1966), focused exclusively on songs and compositions of his own composition and in Russian. In 1965, another significant thing happened event: Gradsky writes one of his famous early songs “Blue Forest”, which later became his business card. At the same time, he continues to work with Degtyarev and Dontsov in a group called SKIFY. Initially, this group consists of Sergei Sapozhnikov (bass guitar), Yuri Malkov (drums) and Sergei Dyuzhikov (guitar) plus Gradsky. Landmarks - instrumental (big beat) music. A couple of months later, Sapozhnikov and Malkov are replaced by Degtyarev and Dontsov, then, instead of Gradsky, Yuri Valov comes (later a member of the American group “Sasha and Yura”). It is interesting that after the departure of A.G. from SKIFOV, his relationship with Dontsov and Degtyarev did not stop; on the contrary, they organized a group called “Los Panchos” and until 1968 they played Western hits at dances in clubs and schools.
The first SKOMOROKHI (except for Alexander Gradsky) are Vladimir Polonsky (drums), who subsequently played for a long time in VIA VESELIE GUYS, and Alexander Buinov (piano), he also ended up in VIA VESELIE GUYS, after which he made solo career. The uniqueness of this group consisted, first of all, in the fact that they “walked along paths unknown to anyone before them.” Gradsky determined the “purity” of the idea, but otherwise everyone was equal. Songs by A. Buinov (“Alyonushka” and “Grass-Ant”) and hits by bass guitarist Yuri Shakhnazarov (“Memoirs” and “Beaver”), who joined the lineup a little later, were performed. Immediately after this, A. Buynov was drafted into the army and never returned to the group...
The eternal lack of money to purchase equipment pushes the band's musicians to work in philharmonic societies. Gradsky accepts the offer of the then aspiring composer and pianist David Tukhmanov and goes on short tours around the country, playing the guitar and carefully not showing vocals, so as not to “expose himself.” Sometimes (without Tukhmanov) Buinov and Polonsky join him, sometimes they work on trips and in “chess”, and A.G. "conquers" Moscow with LOS PANCHOS; in 1968, Gradsky even got a temporary job at the famous VIA "Electron", where he replaced Valery Prikazchikov on lead guitar and, again, did not sing...
VIA "Souvenir" In 1967, the first in Belarus opened in Gomel regional philharmonic society. Young energetic artists began touring around the region and beyond and delighting audiences with their art. In the early years, the legendary vocal and instrumental ensemble “Souvenir” worked at the Philharmonic, its main actors which were now widely famous singers Alexander Gradsky and Alexander Buinov, as well as drummer Vladimir Polonsky, who later joined the cult Soviet-era ensemble “Jolly Fellows”. Anatoly Yarmolenko also began his singing career in this group. In 1971, Souvenir was disbanded. In those years, such a pro-Western ensemble, which had many Beatles songs in its repertoire, could not exist for long. And Yarmolenko created another famous Belarusian ensemble “Syabry”, which also initially performed under the flag of the Gomel Philharmonic. At one time, the artists of the Philharmonic were the famous jazzman Eddie Rosner and the virtuoso accordionist Valery Kovtun.
During these two or three years, he traveled almost half of the Union with a wide variety of repertoires and with a variety of musicians and soloists, and almost never sang anywhere... Only once, to the roar of a “stunned” audience, he sang a solo concert instead of a sick Philharmonic soloist, calling himself by his name...
That was the idea - to earn money for equipment while traveling, then come to Moscow, prepare a repertoire and “produce” Russian rock and roll...
1969 is the year A. Gradsky entered the GMPI named after. Gnessins to the faculty of solo singing to teacher L.V. Kotelnikova. Subsequently, he improves his skills in N.A.’s class. Verbova. Chamber class teacher - G.B. Orentlicher; in the opera class such masters as S.S. work with him. Sakharov, N.D. Spiller and M.L. Meltzer. Gradsky begins a parallel solo career, performing alone, with a guitar. This time includes “The Ballad of the Poultry Farm”, “Spain” based on the poems of N. Aseev, “Song of Fools” and the small rock opera “Fly-Tsokotukha”.
A significant period begins when Gradsky, in fact, becomes one of the first experimenters in rock with lyrics in Russian (his own and famous poets). He also turns to Russian folklore.
In 1969 “The Buffoons” are still played by the three of them (A.G. plus Polonsky and Shakhnazarov), in 1970 they were joined by Alexander Lerman, an intellectual, linguist and professional musician, leader of the group “WINDS OF CHANGE” (later, together with Yu. Valov , works in the USA in the group “SASHA and YURA”, at the same time teaching linguistics at an American university), and instead of V. Polonsky, who moved to VIA “VESELIE GUYATA”, comes the breathtaking drummer Yuri Fokin (then left for the USA, at one time served in the Russian Orthodox Church in a parish near New York). This is the star group cast of “SKOMOROKHOV”. They freely sing songs of their own composition in three or four voices. Moscow has been conquered once and for all. As they say, there are no equals. Unfortunately, almost no records from that period have survived...
At the end of 1971, A. Lerman and Yu. Shakhnazarov (later the founder of the ARAKS group of the Lenin Komsomol Theater, with whose name all subsequent musical success Lenkom, a man who later worked as the leader of A. Pugacheva’s music group) ten days before the start of the All-Union festival in Gorky, Gradsky and Fokin leave...
Fokin brings pianist Igor Saulsky, son, to Gradsky famous composer and a jazzman, and on the Moscow-Gorky train, Gradsky teaches Igor to play the bass guitar and at the All-Union festival of beat groups “Silver Strings” in Gorky, sharing first place with the Chelyabinsk “Ariel”, “Skomorokhi” won six first prizes out of eight. And three of them - “for guitar”, “for vocals” and “for composition” - were received personally by Gradsky. All the previous seven years fit into twenty minutes of a fantastic show on the stage of the Gorky Palace of Culture. After the festival, from time to time, the group is joined by flautist, pianist and vocalist Gleb May, who later made a career as a composer, and the magnificent drummer from Yerevan Armen Chaldranyan...
The period of the first sound recording experiments begins. One of the jury members of the Gorky competition, musicologist Arkady Petrov, who was working at the Yunost radio station at that time, at his own peril and risk, organizes studio recordings of Gradsky and SKOMOROKHOV on the radio. Alexander Gradsky was the first among Soviet rock musicians to create a cycle of compositions based on poems by Burns and Shakespeare - a kind of encyclopedia of rock styles: from blues to rock and roll (ten years later recorded on a record).
Here it becomes completely clear: “Buffoons” is Alexander Gradsky. The Voice of America and Moscow Radio talk about him and the group; his first songs are heard throughout the entire Union.
Since 1972, the group has become Gradsky's individual (along with guitar, vocals, etc.) instrument for the approval of his musical and poetic ideas. Gradsky's first recordings in the studio became the only and first rock compositions of their kind in the USSR, recorded in a studio multi-channel method, in which he acted as a multi-instrumentalist, the author of all the music, some poetry, a super vocalist, who for the first time in the USSR carried out multiple overdubbing of four voices, and one composition (“Only you trust me”), for the first time since Paul McCartney, was recorded by him in its entirety (parts of all instruments and voices)... In the same 1972, at the suggestion of Tukhmanov, he recorded two of his songs for the LP “How beautiful this world" ("La Gioconda" and "Once Upon a Time"), for the first time in the Union 16-channel equipment is used.
In the same year, “SKOMOROKHI” went on tour to Kuibyshev and Donetsk. At the same time, A. Buinov, Yu. Shakhnazarov, G. May, drummer Boris Bogrychev appear in their composition, especially for the trip... The concert in Kuibyshev was an incredible success - after the concert the group went to the hotel, but half an hour later the musicians came running for them instructor of the city committee of the Komsomol and reported with horror that the audience did not disperse, behaved aggressively and demanded to continue... and the concert was continued until one in the morning...
At the end of 1972, next to Gradsky on stage for the first time, we see bass guitarist Yuri Ivanov, who, almost to this day, is part of the “SKOMOROKHOV” group, as needed.
At the beginning of 1973, Gradsky and Ivanov (I. Saulsky by that time had taken up a number of other projects, playing alternately with different musicians and groups, as well as Yu. Fokin) constantly perform together, changing drummers and inviting either Fokin or Chaldranyan to different concerts (Igor Saulsky currently lives in the USA, having made a fantastic career as a professional computer scientist, manager-composer, and subsequently as a businessman).
Leapfrog with the composition, taking into account that the group (according to A.G.’s conviction) should consist of no more than 4 people, leads to a search, and then to the invitation to the group of new participants, as it turned out, Alexander’s constant and forever true friends Gradsky, with whom he recorded all the main songs, compositions, music for films, performances, vocal suites and much more... Outstanding drummer, superjazzman and stylist Vladimir Vasilkov and one of the most powerful saxophonists and flutists of the Union Sergei Zenko, together with Gradsky and Ivanov, composed those “SKOMOROKHOVs” whom we can hear in the recording and be convinced of the skill of the entire group and each individual.
In 1973, Alexander Gradsky’s first solo EP was released with the compositions “Spain”, “Buffoons”, “Blue Forest”, “Coal Miner’s Girlfriend”. In the same year, at one of the studio recordings, again organized by Arkady Petrov, the director of the future film “Romance of Lovers,” Andron Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky, invited by Petrov, appears in the control room. He immediately makes Gradsky an offer to participate in the film, first as a singer, and then as a songwriter, part of the poems and all the music...
An unprecedented case at that time: a 23-year-old composer (not a member of the Union of Composers!) receives an order for music for a 2-part musical film by one of the most famous and talented directors in the country...
The picture was released on the screens of the Union in 1974, in the same year - Alexander Gradsky’s first LP with music from “Romance...”, for which “Billboard” (an international music super-magazine) awarded Gradsky the title “Star of the Year - 1974” for “outstanding contribution to world music" (quote).
In the same year, Gradsky received a diploma from the Institute. Gnesins as “an opera and concert chamber singer” (quote). In the same year he became a laureate international competition pop song "Bratislava Lyre".
Career A.G. unfolds at breakneck speed. He gets the opportunity to tour the country, and his concerts are held in crowded halls with incredible public excitement.
In huge sports palaces, he works three to four solo two-hour concerts a day, stunning the audience with a three-octave range of his voice, a completely unusual repertoire for that time, harsh hard rock accompaniment (in those cases when the group “SKOMOROKHI” is with him), extraordinary acting manner, etc. All this work is organized through philharmonic societies, and the “stamp” of official art appears on Gradsky’s work, i.e. rock music may be officially permitted. Few people remember that A.G. He was the first to “break through” this insurmountable wall, and after him, into the resulting “gap,” all the other rockers rushed...
In 1974, Gradsky completed work on the cycle of songs “Reflections of a Jester.”
In 1975, he worked (following the footsteps of "Romance...") on several films, not forgetting about recordings, even participating in projects of other authors (G. Gladkov, V. Terletsky, E. Kolmanovsky, M. Fradkin, M. Minkov etc.). At the same time, he entered the Moscow Conservatory in the composition class of T.N. Khrennikova and... records “How young we were” by A. Pakhmutova and N. Dobronravov (you know the result). By the way, this song performed by Gradsky is the only one that was “promoted” by TV and Radio. All his other works are still “squeezed” to this day, despite any changes in politics and everyday life...
In 1976, Gradsky composed and recorded the first part of the suite “Russian Songs”, and in 1978, on the advice of A. Petrov, the second part. "Russian Songs" was the first rock record in the USSR (released in 1980) which became one of the most significant works in rock music of that time. The album's style is defined as "vocal-instrumental suite".
Starting from this time, Gradsky “produces” one studio work after another, vocal suites: “Utopia AG”, “Satires”, “Life Itself”, “Star of the Fields”, “Nostalgia”, “Flute and Piano” - based on classic poems , "Concert Suite", "Reflections of a Jester" (a collection of recordings from 1971-1974, in which A.G. proves the possibility of singing in Russian in different rock styles), "Monte Cristo", "Expedition" - on his poems, the opera "Stadium" (libretto by A.G. and Margarita Pushkina), the ballet "Man" (libretto by A.G.), intended for LP, but their publication is constantly delayed for "understandable reasons" ... " The record here belongs to the suite “Reflections of a Jester” - despite the release of the single in 1978, the entire work was published 16(!) years after recording.
A.G. continues touring, his repertoire actively includes songs based on his poems, sometimes satirical, sometimes simply dangerous for the existing regime... He writes a number of articles in defense of the rock music genre, actively polemicizing with retrogrades and... making a bunch of enemies for himself.
Gradsky begins teaching activities, several years of work at the Gnessin School - he graduates from the course; the next few years, already at the Gnessin Institute, another course was released. This stage of his work ended with two years of heading the vocal department as a professor at RATI (GITIS). According to him, further teaching is possible only if you have your own class; most likely, you will have to create something like an educational institution...
1980 - the year of Vysotsky’s death becomes a turning point for A.G. He completely goes into the category of “Protestants”, “mixing” tragic satire and dramatic lyrics on a fatal musical basis (“Song about a friend”, “Song about television”, “Monologue of a loaf for 28 kopecks made from premium flour”, “The story of a man, who was unable to go on vacation to the Canary Islands," etc.). At first they don’t “touch” him, then, in 1983-1984. some “troubles” happen, but his voice and talent are always “taken into account”... Gradsky was “grindingly” accepted into the Union of Composers only in 1987, and his first trip abroad (to the USA) took place only in 1988. , to the conference, along with a group of artists, cinema and politics. He sings brilliantly at the closing of the conference, the Americans give him a fifteen-minute ovation...
1987 Work at the radio station “Yunost”. Alexander hosts the “Gradsky Hit Parade”. It was there that the songs of “Kino”, “Alice”, DDT, “Cloud Region”, Bashlachev, “AVIA”, “Zoo”, “Secret” were first performed. According to the composer, his hit parade was a confrontation with “boring officialdom.”
In the same 1988, he already heard a twenty-five-minute ovation addressed to himself and, naturally, to the famous conductor Evgeniy Svetlanov and his stage partners, participants in the performance Bolshoi Theater"The Golden Cockerel" is one of the most difficult operas by Rimsky-Korsakov to perform. The role of the Astrologer, the most difficult role in the world operatic repertoire, A.G. "clicks" like a nut...
By this time, thanks to the support of Valery Sukhorado, director of "Melody", he was releasing almost all of his works in the form of LPs, writing music for the films "The Prisoner of the Chateau d'If" and "The Art of Living in Odessa", thus increasing the number of films from his music and songs up to thirty-eight! At the same time, he is gradually reducing his touring activities, completely switching to creating the Theater of Contemporary Music in Moscow. With the support of the Moscow Government, he receives a building in the city center and begins its reconstruction...
The Moscow Theater and Concert Music Association (MTKMO), under his leadership, carries out a number of complex projects, including: organizing “crazy” solo concerts in Moscow (January 25, 1990, March 17, 1995, as well as anniversary concerts in 1999, 2004, 2009) with the participation of symphony orchestras and orchestras of Russian folk instruments, choirs, rock bands and their friends in the “workshop”, the release of the “AG Collection”, i.e. thirteen CDs with full meeting compositions and recordings of Alexander Gradsky, the creation of two musical films "Anti-perestroika blues" (1991), "Live in Russia" (1996) and "Live in Russia - 2" (1999), later released on DVD.
The first trips abroad give results. Gradsky works in joint projects and concerts with such “whales” of Western music as Liza Minnelli, Charles Aznavour, John Denver, Kris Kristoffersson, Diana Warwick, Sammy Davis, Grateful Ded, Cindy Peters in the USA, Germany, Spain, Greece, Sweden. Finally, in 1990, after one of his joint concerts with John Denver in Japan, Gradsky received a contract with VMI (VICTOR), a leading Japanese company. He releases two CDs under her brand (Metamorphoses and The Fruits From The Cemetery) and gives several concerts in Japan with a wide variety of repertoire, from his own songs in Russian to Western hits and Japanese classical romances... Three of his ballets ( "Man", "Rasputin" and "Jewish Ballad") staged Kyiv theater ballet (choreographer G. Kovtun), and the last two - Ice Ballet Theater (artistic director I. Bobrin). All these performances are being performed around Europe and America with enormous success. Despite everything, he does not stop there and persistently continues, literally and figuratively, the “construction” of his musical theater.
“Official recognition” followed - at the turn of the third millennium, Gradsky became the People’s Artist of Russia and the laureate of the State Prize of Russia, as they say, according to the “totality” of merits... The building of the Gradsky Musical Theater is being reconstructed “with difficulty”, but hopes still remain, as and continuation of touring and concert activities. Latest works Alexander Gradsky can confidently be called events in musical life. This is a “Chrestomathy” - a CD with compositions that are stylistically reminiscent of “Reflections of a Fool”, i.e. an attempt to speak in Russian again in modern genres, and of course, the opera “The Master and Margarita” by M. Bulgakov with a unique cast of participants, work on which went on for more than thirty years in parallel with the “main” activity, which you could read about above... This opera by A.G. was published in a luxurious design (in the form of an old book), included four discs and a complete libretto - by the way, it is also printed in the book "Selected" - is still awaiting its biographer, since it is not possible to describe the impression of the opera in two words.. .
What now? And now, after the opera, there are new, “socially tailored” songs, romances and tours, concerts at which A.G. once again entering the hall, he demonstrates his brilliant voice, fantastic musicality and artistry, in a word, everything that we have known about him for a long time...
As they say: God willing...
Sergey Terekhov
Question - answer The children have grown up, do you dream of grandchildren? Do you like to babysit very young children?
Tatyana Astakhova, 22 Jul 2011 02:27 pm
The experience was
Alexander Gradsky, Aug 09, 2011 11:01 am What can make you go to a rally? Almost nothing. It happened before, I went. There was some kind of need, and it seemed that this could contribute to something. Over time, a person comes to a fuller understanding of life, and what I see around me can in no way force me to go to such an event.
I think that even for the sake of something good today it is very difficult to unite people. And all kinds of meetings are most often spontaneous, and they take place when something concerns someone personally. Politicians go to rallies to do their personal business, ordinary people- to somehow defend your dignity.
As I get older, I begin to think that you shouldn’t go to rallies, but simply, through your existence and work, affirm an idea or concept that is close to you. In my opinion, it is better to improve in your profession. I don’t see the threat that some kind of regime could allegedly set in and work in the profession would become unbearable.
Running a country and society is very difficult. But going to rallies and telling people how to do it is not my thing. Why bother? Now there is a fuss about the pie. But since this pie is not mine, I don’t fuss. Moreover, I have my own.
Alexander Gradsky / singer, composer, People's Artist Russia
www.golos.org, May 02, 2007 Alexander Gradsky became a father for the third time On September 1, 2014, the singer’s common-law wife, Marina Kotashenko, gave birth to a boy. The 64-year-old artist and his 33-year-old companion decided to name their son Alexander. The birth took place in New York, and not by chance. After all, it is known that Gradsky has dual citizenship. The baby was born in one of the city clinics, where Marina was observed throughout her pregnancy. Happy parents have already come up with a name for their newborn baby. “The boy’s name is Alexander Alexandrovich Gradsky. I named him that on purpose. With such a name, patronymic and surname, he will be forced to study music. And I provided him with genes,” Moskovsky Komsomolets quotes Alexander Gradsky.
Let us remember that Alexander Gradsky was married three times. The first marriage, as he calls it, was a student, “trial” marriage. With his second wife, with whom the artist lived for two years, there was famous actress Anastasia Vertinskaya. From the third marriage two children were born - son Daniil Gradsky (1981) and daughter Maria (1986). 
Evgenia Khodos- I have a photo - it was provided by Alexander Borisovich Gradsky several years ago for the book “The Voice”. Tell us about this photo: where is it and when?
Leonid Yarmolnik- This photograph is many years old. Zhenya Boldin (third husband of Alla Pugacheva - MP editor), director from St. Petersburg, this is Gradsky himself, of course. And this is Andrey Makarevich.
Information Magazine "VZOR"- a fascinating publication that presents all the diversity and versatility human life: cultural heritage civilizations and their scientific achievements, life stories of outstanding people, impressions of famous travelers, opinions of diplomats and public figures. The VZOR magazine covers: poetry and prose, fine arts and architecture, photography and diplomacy, the history and life of theater and cinema, paradoxical scientific views and travel. And magnificent illustrations by famous photographers make these materials lively and vibrant.
The magazine "VZOR" is one of the few periodicals accredited and distributed in State Duma Russian Federation, General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation, Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies foreign countries, largest airlines, in the best hotels in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan, as well as among representatives of industrial and business business.
A beautifully illustrated periodical, with which the most famous writers, journalists, scientists, photographers and travelers collaborate. Among them are photographers: Alexander Tyagny-Ryadno, Viktor Akhlomov, Katya Galitsyna, Hermann Westmann (Cologne); journalist and writer - Tatyana Shcherbina; world-famous scientists - Sergei Averintsev; English scientist - Geoffrey Ash; writer - Alexander Kabakov and many others.
The editor-in-chief of the magazine is Oksmon Boris Moiseevich.
The deputy editor-in-chief is famous writer Evgeny Popov.
Members of the editorial board of the magazine are: Vadim Abdrashitov - film director; Vasily Aksenov – writer; René Guerra (France) – professor of Slavic studies; Alexander Gradsky– singer, composer; Boris Messerer – artist; Tatyana Tolstaya is a writer.
