Dmitry Sitkovetsky: Keeping the Flame
Chapter XI: The Violin
What happens when an instrument built to create art becomes a financial asset? In this chapter, Dmitry talks about the violin — starting with the cra...
Chapter X: The Father Of
In the final chapter of the season, Dmitry’s life comes full circle: he revisits Russia and becomes a father. Plus, a look at mistakes made and lesson...
Chapter IX: Bach
Dmitry explores the structure and content of this extraordinary work. Bonus story: how he spent the best two months of his musical life in the virtual...
Chapter VIII: Two Brothers
Once there were two cousins. They were like salt and pepper. One had dark hair; the other was blond. One practiced the violin, while the other preferr...
Chapter VII: Becoming a Westerner
Dmitry remembers his firsts — first car, first movie, first concert. This episode is a reflection on the events that reshaped one refugee’s Soviet min...
Chapter VI: The First Ten Days in New York
Dmitry arrives at JFK International Airport and is immediately swept up in the whirlwind of artistic New York: Juilliard, auditions, and scraping toge...
Chapter V: The Escape
A first-hand account of escaping Soviet Russia — complete with diversion, persuasion, and a whole lot of chutzpah. This episode was produced by Libo/...
Chapter IV: The Guru
A determined search for alternative lifestyles and opinions in the Soviet Union led the almost-18-year-old Dima to meet a man who presented himself as...
Chapter III: Beating the Soviet System
Dmitry paints a portrait of a Brezhnev-era child’s double life: acting the part of model pioneer in front of teachers and rebelling the moment authori...
Chapter II: The Great Russian Violin School
This chapter takes a behind-the-scenes look at a system that produced countless talents. Dmitry recalls his experiences with Soviet musical training. ...