Pianist Pavel Kolesnikov lets color guide his program

The award-winning musician will make two visits to Atlanta this year, first at Spivey Hall and, later this fall, at Symphony Hall.

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Synesthesia is the fascinating psychological phenomenon that causes some people to associate musical pitches with specific colors. Piano phenom Pavel Kolesnikov claims not to have the condition, but his sense of musicality leans strongly in that direction: The entire program for his upcoming April 27 concert at Spivey Hall was chosen around the color of the suit he’ll be wearing.

“The suit inspired the program,” he explains, pointing out that the outfit’s striking lime green color factored into the musical selections. “It is a complex color that can be interpreted as a ‘pop’ color or a very refined color. It can be interpreted as very joyful or melancholic and poisonous.” 

In the case of this particular suit, Kolesnikov saw and knew that the program should lean heavily on Mozart — there just seemed to be a natural symbiosis. The set, which will see Kolesnikov performing solo on Spivey Hall’s legendary stage, begins with Mozart’s virtuosic side (Variations on a Theme by Gluck) before segueing into softer, more introspective realms (Rondo in A minor, K. 511). 

All of the pieces felt in some way “green” in Kolesnikov’s mind. Having already performed the program at a concert in London, the pianist is adamant that the suit will only be worn for performances of the set list and nowhere else. 

Balancing the Mozart pieces are several works by Ravel, including the haunting, bittersweet classic Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess) which closes the concert. In Kolesnikov’s mind, Mozart’s work runs the risk of sounding “scholastic” when taken all at once. As such, the pieces were chosen as atmospheric speed bumps through the energetic world of Mozart.

“His chords are so perfect and so organized that you might be a little bit intimidated by their perfection,” said Kolesnikov in explaining his odd choice of words. He went on to emphasize that the imposing genius of Mozart — and indeed his abilities seem at times superhuman — has a way of stultifying the interpretive and emotive aspects of his compositions.

It’s an unusual sentiment, especially considering the nature of the work at hand. The Adagio in F minor from Mozart’s second piano sonata factors prominently, as does the meditative Rondo in A minor, but, compared to the spacious ambience of Ravel’s Oiseaux tristes, a certain stiffness becomes apparent in even the most emotive of Mozart’s solo piano offerings.

It is tempting to continue to pick Kolesnikov’s brain about his unorthodox program structuring process, especially as he has precious little to say about his background or meteoric rise to fame within the world of classical piano. Born in 1989 in Siberia to a family of scientists, he showed an early aptitude for the piano and shot to fame at age 23 when he won top honors at the 2012 Honens International Piano Competition. He now resides in London with his partner, fellow pianist Samson Tsoy. 

Other accolades abound for Kolesnikov: His album Chopin Mazurkas won the prestigious Diapason d’Or de l’Annee and his 2014 Wigmore Hall debut received a rare five-star review from the Telegraph. But those laurels seem to be mere resume items to the cheerfully analytical Kolesnikov, who takes a genuinely infectious fascination in the interconnected nature of the world around him and the music that moves it — green suit and all.

The Spivey Hall show will be Kolesnikov’s first visit to Atlanta, but he returns in the fall to perform with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. He’s hoping that trip will afford him time to check out the High Museum of Art. In the meantime, Atlanta classical audiences would do well to discover the unique balance between poetry and precision that has made Kolesnikov a captivating concert draw around the world.

Where & When

Pavel Kolesnikov plays at 3 p.m. April 27. $25-$55. Spivey Hall, 2000 Clayton State Blvd., Morrow. 678-466-4200, spiveyhall.org. He’ll return this fall for shows at 8 p.m. October 9 and October 10 at Symphony Hall.

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Jordan Owen began writing about music professionally at the age of 16 in Oxford, Mississippi. A 2006 graduate of the Berklee College of Music, he is a professional guitarist, bandleader and composer. He is currently the lead guitarist for the jazz group Other Strangers, the power metal band Axis of Empires and the melodic death/thrash metal band Century Spawn.