My introduction to Luka was via a message he sent on LinkedIn. I was impressed with his DIY, YOLO choice to invite potential new friends to his first concert in Luxembourg. As he says, classical music is not as healthy in its connections as it once was and previous methods used to bring in new listeners don’t seem effective. He has turned to Instagram and other social media networking tools to reach new audience members and considers this a key component of managing his career.
At twenty-seven years old, Luka has an old soul and says he would like Luxembourg to “make time for art and be spiritual. Music is one of the tools and languages for spiritual nourishment.” He worries that children are not being taught to appreciate classical music and believes that if we can expose younger people to a first concert that is enjoyable, they will be interested the second time around. “It’s all about accessibility and learning that it [classical music] isn’t boring or snobbish.”
Luka was born and raised in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. He gravitated toward the family’s piano and as his interest grew, his parents asked a local piano teacher to assess his ability. Lessons began and within a month he had completed the first level of study, was able to sight read music, to make simple compositions. At thirteen, Luka moved to study at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, followed by three years at the Royal College of Music, London. Born in the same year the Soviet Union’s hold on the country was broken, Luka expressed a sense of deep gratitude to have been able to move abroad to study music.
When asked how he selects the pieces he wants to present to the public, Luka shares that it is all about sharing the pieces he loves and finds challenging. He says he wants his music to reach the heart of the public while creating an interesting contrast in each program. He has always been moved by romantic music himself and discovered a love for Rachmaninoff by the age of seven or eight.
In addition to his professional performance career, Luka is a composer. His F minor Fantasie was recorded by Het Concertgebouw’s Sessions and two other works are published by Master Music publications, who will publish an additional six or seven pieces. Luka says “you can’t rewrite Bach or Beethoven” but he hopes people will like his style.
If you would like to check out Luka’s music before you attend his performance, I recommend the following links:
