Diana Polenova
Diana Polenova
Genres: female vocalists, pop
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Ирина Тонева
About Diana Polenova
My Life. My name is Diana Polenova, I’m a musician… Music was the only choice from the start… I even can say I was born to make music because there’s just nothing else I can do better in my life and I’m trying to do my best… In many years I’ve learnt to sing, play piano, write songs, even lyrics in English…and I still keep learning every day… It took a long time to become what I am now, to find myself…but I guess for a musician this way is just as long as lifetime… Look…In the music school you’re just a child…it’s too early to realize what are you doing this for…maybe because parents wanted it for you?…and once being asked you said yes…and then you got hours of hard work, while your friends were enjoying life outside… But one day you realize that you can play any song you want… No one around me ever inspired/encouraged me to sing…and living in a small town in the Soviet Union couldn’t open the world of music for me…but I guess, even the “cold war” or “iron curtain” couldn’t prevent from knowing and loving the music of The Beatles…Michael Jackson…Queen…Sting…and jazz, of course… I sang for myself…then for a small audience…at the first open concert I found out that many people like my singing… Later…blink, and you’re a student…though entering the music college is your own decision, you’re still too young to know yourself…all you have is a lot of energy and enthusiasm to learn, try, play, sing, perform, write…that’s what I did, working more than 12 hours a day, and sometimes in the night too…had a lot to do: a student who study 2 specialties at the same time (as me: jazz piano and also vocals) needs to work twice more…and I also worked in a jazz band as solo singer and a first soprano in a vocal quartet (me and 3 male singers)…a great experience…so I got to professional stage with the first step…and I knew I wanted to go further and this was my thing…a bit more courage and I… Moved to Moscow to pursue my studies…another 4 years as a jazz vocals student at Music Academy…as soprano in vocal bands a’cappella …festivals, concert tours all over the world: (just some of my precious places: Montreaux, Graz, Singapore, Hong Kong)…but still a lot of white spots on the mapJ… Grand prix awards in contests…no other way, or else it makes no sense…arranging, recording CD’s together, own studio…composing songs…knowing myself better… Solo career…started to write songs at the age of 21…2 years later had an album of my own songs (“Aquamarine” CD)…wanted to go on with an album of cover-versions of my favorite songs (“God Only Knows” CD)…I knew I had something to say from myself…was so easy…just to play piano and sing…maybe this is my best, m?... Life always plays jokes: things never advance with measured steps…all happens together or nothing does at all...If you prefer the first way just don’t let the chance slip away...So I had to do it all at the same period of time: record film soundtracks, perform in tv-shows, music fairs (Frankfurt Musikmess was my favorite one), participate in co-projects, teaching as vocal coach, working as composer, arranger, touring as a member of different bands…but since you’re “taking part” it’s just work… And all that seemed ok before I’ve found MY band “M-FACE”…extra-high class musicians I can play my/our music & share ideas with, feel every concert a gala-night, and just have fun together…and have many fans, of course…(and the next album of my own songs is called “Test Drive…so smooth”) Ah, yeah…I’m beginning to see what all those years of learning were for …to be able to express myself…in my music, in my lyrics, my style…to be blessed with faith in what I’m doing… to become what I am…to be proud... Now I see that the one who’s enjoying life is ME… And it’s still a long way to go, I hope… A Brief History: Born in Russia / Urals, small town / studies: Music school / piano/ city: Ekaterinburg studies: Music college / piano & jazz vocals/, work: Urals Jazz big-band /soloist & vocal quartet member/ city: Moscow studies: Music Academy by Gnesiny / jazz vocals/ work: vocal band a’cappella: “Cool&Jazzy” /2001-2002/: - jazz-festivals & contests (Russia, Finland, Austria) - Grand-prix “Ward Swingle Award at “Vokal Total” a’cappella competition (2001), - tv, radio, CD, concert tours… vocal band “A’cappella ExpreSSS” /2002-2006/: - jazz-festivals and concerts (Russia, Europe, Asia, US), - vocal contests (Austria: Grand-prix “Ward Swingle Award at “Vokal Total” a’cappella competition (2003), - tv, radio, CDs, video-clips, film soundtracks… Works as solo singer: co-projects, vocal coach, composer, film soundtracks, vocal contests, tv-shows… Co-projects: Performed in concert with Chuck Loeb & “Trans-Atlantic” band (2003), Solo-soundtrack for the film “One Life” became very popular in Russia since 2004… Member of “Esperanto” band of Leonid Agutin (2005-2010): - “Cosmopolitan Life” tour /available on DVD/: in concerts of Leonid Agutin & Al Di Meola (Russia, Switzerland, Germany), - “Havana Calling”/available on DVD/: in concert of Leonid Agutin & Orlando “Maraca” Valle, Omara Portuondo (Cuba). Now: Solo artist and lead singer of “M-FACE” band since 2007…Composing songs, performing, recording singles&albums: “God Only Knows” (2007), single “Fiords’ (2008), latest CD “Test-drive…so smooth” (2010)…
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