Outstanding people: the founder of the Saratov piano school

It is impossible to imagine the history of Saratov State Conservatoire without Semen Solomonovich Benditsky, a pianist, teacher, educator, professor, founder of the Saratov piano school.

Benditsky was born on 3 April 1908 in a musical family in Dnipro. He graduated from Moscow State Conservatoire where he studied under Heinrich Neuhaus, one of the most influential pianists and teachers of the twentieth century. After graduating he taught at the Ural State Conservatoire (Yekaterinburg) and actively performed as a concert pianist. In 1946 he moved to Saratov and began working at the conservatoire. In 1954 he became a Professor of the Special Piano Department and headed it until the end of his life in 1993.

It was in Saratov conservatoire where he created his own piano school, relying on the traditions of Neuhaus and developing his own teaching principles. His students became prize-winners of national and international competitions, well-known teachers and concert performers. Мany of them later returned to their alma mater as teachers.

Benditsky brought up a large number of bright musicians and teachers who played a huge role in the life of our conservatoire. Among them are People’s Artist of Russia, Professor Lev Shugom, who for many years headed the Special Piano Department and later became the Rector of the conservatoire; Honoured Art Worker and Honoured Artist of Russia, Professor Anatoly Skripay, who had been leading the Piano Department for many years and also headed the conservatoire; Honoured Artists of Russia and Professors Asya Kireyeva, Tatyana Kan, Natan Benditsky, People’s Artist of Russia and Professor Albert Tarakanov.

This is what Benditsky’s students say about their Master:

«Semen Solomonovich did not only want his students to follow his instructions. First of all, he wanted to teach them his way of life, where music was everything: the way you think, the way you live, and the life itself» — Anatoly Skripay.

«Semen Solomonovich knew so much about music that he could quote whole pages from Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, and Mussorgsky on the piano. He often referred to great actors — Shalyapin, Moskvin, and Kachalov — and recited poems by Pushkin, Shakespeare, and Pasternak very vividly. All that greatly stirred the imagination and helped people see the musical text in a new way, beyond the usual school reading. The magic of his lesson was that, listening to the teacher, everyone suddenly understood: yes, this piece should sound exactly like that! » — Tatyana Kan.

It is especially important that Benditsky’s school is not just a page of history, but a living tradition. Today his students continue to teach at Saratov State Conservatoire, among them Honoured Worker of High School, Science and Education of Russia, Professor Natalya Smirnova, and Professor Alexander Rykel. Thanks to them, the ideas and principles of Semen Solomonovich are naturally passed on to young pianists, and his approach to music is still preserved at the department.

Benditsky was not only a teacher, but also a true educator and popularizer of music. In the 1960s he organized the Pianists’ Club in Saratov, which carried out large concert and educational activity in the city, in Saratov region and beyond. He was the first in Saratov who performed a whole series of works by Prokofiev and Khachaturian, expanding the repertoire and musical horizons of the Saratov public.

For Saratov State Conservatoire, the name of Semen Solomonovich Benditsky is a symbol of high pianism, demanding yet very attentive teaching, and a true devotion to art. His memory lives on in concerts, in the teaching tradition, in his students and in the competition bearing his name, which supports young performers and continues the line of piano art development in Saratov laid down by the master.

Right now, the 6th International S. S. Benditsky Piano Competition is taking place. You can read more about it in a special post at the link: https://sarcons.ru/media/media-events/saratov-conservatoire-invites-young-pianists-to-take-part-in-the-competition/