“Marik… go practice your violin” ….engraved in my childhood memory.
He was born on a calm, summer night with the sounds of Paganini concerto No. 1 on the radio. His fate was decided – he will be a great violinist! I was at summer camp and met this new addition to our family when he was already 3 weeks old. I was twelve and did not know what to make of it at the time.
Mark exceeded the expectations of our violinist parents. He is more than a violinist; he is a visual artist, computer genius and a businessman – he is a Renaissance Man.
Mark has a fascinating relationship with the violin – he studies the history of its making, he plays it and he paints its body and its soul.
Violin making history fascinated Mark from early childhood. He got it from our father and is now an expert in this field. He can identify any school of violin making without the label and any other references; he is an expert in bow makers and has a personal fascination with the 19th century Russian bow maker, Anatoly Kittel.
Mark’s violin sings like a bird and makes women cry on the spot. He possesses that rare quality of communicating the most intimate thoughts through sounds. Once his listeners experience that magic, they stay under his spell forever and await in anticipation his next performance.
His artwork is fascinating! The motion of his lines creates a shimmering, subtle movement reminiscent of a fragile butterfly in flight. It is amazing to see Chagall, Kandinsky, and Pollock occasionally winking at us from Mark’s canvases – and yet, these are Mark’s works and they are recognizable as his and his alone. He has developed his own style!
Mark is not afraid of anything and succeeds in everything he puts his mind to. When God gives someone so much talent, it is a great responsibility to make the best of it. I am very proud of my little brother for who he is and what he does.
Now I know that seeing a 3 week old baby in our small apartment in Moscow was GREAT news. The world would not be complete without him.
Click here to see Mark’s art and listen to his music.