Igor Sklyarov tells:

I knew that David Gilmour arrive to Venice and was waiting for something tremendous. First, I saw records of performances of David and Pink Floyd: it is always beautiful and superprofessional. Second, Venice is such a city where the atmosphere itself obliges to something magic.

So it happened.



We were performing three together in one of the streets where there are usually a lot of tourists. I should say that performance is Venice is an independent and very responsible concert, where you can hear every single note thanks to the unique walls acoustic. We performed Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi when I noticed that public excited. People with video cameras appeared. And then I saw Gilmour himself. He was listening to with interest, with a special, hardly caught, smile that I noticed many times after. When the last notes of “Winter” sounded David and his wife Polly came to me. We exchanged greetings and then Gilmour asked if I want to perform together with him. “To perform on the stage,” specified his wife. I answered “Yes, this is a good idea.” Later, having watched DVD Remember That Night I realized that glass music interested Gilmour long time before.



The concert was appointed in the San Marco Square. I was to perform prelude to the famous song “Shine On Your Crazy Diamond.” Do you remember those “flowing” one upon another synthesizers? There is the whole space, worlds that get birth and die in this electronic oratorio. My Glass Harp and I should convey all the tragedy and greatness of this classical composition. And we did it.

The rehearsals passed smoothly: David knew for sure what he wanted and I realized what my glasses could do. Several attempts, specifications, and the melody flowed reflecting of the ancient Venetian walls.



I should say that I didn't feel I was communicating with a “superstar”, live classic of rock music even for a moment. As any talented person, David was calm and friendly, even modest. It was a true pleasure to communicate and perform before the auditorium of many thousands for two evenings. Right after the concert and till present moment I get letters where people remember those concerts as the brightest impressions of their lives. Thank you, my friends. Let us all speak different languages, but music makes us unified. Both, during the concert and after that.