ACADEMIC FLESH
Roots of Noise
Q: Who was your childhood inspiration for writing music and poetry?
Tatiana Gerasimenok: Arnold Schoenberg — both directly and indirectly.
For music, "A Survivor from Warsaw" and "Pierrot lunaire";
for poetry, Albert Giraud’s "Pierrot lunai re" and Charles Baudelaire.
Q: In what kind of atmosphere did you grow up, and what drove you to the avant-garde?
Tatiana Gerasimenok: I grew up in an atmosphere of total adoration and absolute indulgence; I was idolized by both my family and my teachers. Since childhood, my environment has been shaped by brilliant, exceptional, and deeply analytical minds. However, as I began to explore the world beyond my personal circle, I realized that the vast majority of people think in rigid stereotypes.
My avant-garde is a vehicle to dispel the boredom born of this pervasive mediocrity. It is a mechanism for transforming a world mired in routine, and an engine of evolution that triggers an intensive intellectual upgrade of the human mind.
Q: Who would you be if you weren't a composer?
Tatiana Gerasimenok: A forensic pathologist.
Q: Are your relatives musicians too?
Tatiana Gerasimenok: My relatives come from the Belarusian-Polish intelligentsia — doctors, scientists, educators in the exact sciences, and businesspeople with a passion for the fine arts.
Here's an example of my dad’s creativity when he was 18.