“It was the first time I heard the gusli in such a diverse repertoire and in such a virtuoso, sonorous and diverse performance! You play wonderfully!”
Alexei Lyubimov, pianist
“I put Olga in a category with only one other person, flute virtuoso Pedro Eustache, in that both are totally unique masters of an instrumental world, with both being informed by jazz, classical and folk/world traditions at the highest level.”
Matt Uelmen, composer of “Diablo” and “Torchlight 3,” Excellence in Audio Award by IGDA (USA)
“Olga’s performance on both Kantele and Gusli require tremendous performance skills to play effectively and musically in the jazz styles. Olga’s attention to the detail of accuracy to the song’s harmony, rhythmic style, and application of dynamics and articulation are evidence of her dedication and integrity.”
Jim Odgren, alto saxophonist, member of Gary Burton Quartet, professor at Berklee College of Music (Boston, USA)
“..one of the foremost exponent of the Gusli in Russia…”
THE PRESS AND JOURNAL, Scotland.
“Russian gusli player Olga Shishkina from St Petersburg was a source of fascination during the event. The musician captivated audiences with her skilled mastery of the gusli, a stringed Russian instrument dating back to the sixth century.”
Leah Williamson, The Press and Journal, 11 August 2003
“…one of the finest Gusli’s exponents – teenage sensation Olga Shishkina”
THE NORTHERN SCOT, Scotland.
“Shishkina presented acoustic solo performance on gusli, on which she is probably at the top level in the world. Shishkina is capable of executing both classical music and jazz on her instrument, and of course, her virtuosity earned fierce applause from the audience”.
KITARR.ee, Ivo Heinloo 4.02.2015
On July 22, Russian gusli artist Olga Šiškina performed in the church. He demonstrated various playing and sound possibilities of both chromatic and 15-string gusli under the accompaniment of flutist and pianist Alexander Kiskach, mainly planned music by such little-known authors who lived at the turn of the XVIII-XIX century as Pierre von Biron (by the way, the last Duke of Courland!), Vasily Trutovsky, Lev Gurilyov and Ivan Handoshkin. /…/ Šiškina showed himself to be a true virtuoso of her instrument, who has also acquired the necessary sophistication in the classical music tradition…
Mart Jaanson, Sirp, 05.08.11, Estonia
“The music to the movie is composed by the Russian kantele virtuoso Olga Shishkina”
Pasi Anttila, Viispiikkinen, 5.10.2017
“Olga Shishkina was the big attraction of the day. She was already a big celebrity/artist of the world in 2003 when she visited gotland last time and gave a solo concert on her gusli. This time she also sat in and played with the orchestra and raised the musical bar a few levels. She also played in a very well put together-quintet, which besides Olga included Owe Roström on balalajka, Erik Ronström on guitar, and Johan Ronström and Fredian Lindström on domras and mandolins. Among other things the quintet played the old russian folk balalajka standard ”Månen lyser”, in a way never before heard and with an incredible groove.”
“And Olga Shishkina was absolutely amazing on an instrument I´ve never heard of.”
Bengt Valentinsson, Gotlands Tidningar, 26.01.2016
“The gusli player Shishkina was perhaps the most impressive. The gusli is a dulcimer-like Russian national instrument, which Olga Shishkina was the first to apply in the context of a symphony orchestra. With her gusli, she unleashed the languages of the soul and created a bit of the atmosphere of Tarkovsky’s films (for example The Mirror with its pastoral motifs).
Janar Ala, Postimees, 27.03.2015
“Shishkina is not only a virtuoso instrumentalist, but also an innovative researcher. She has developed many new playing techniques for the instrument by which we were amazed at the concert”
Marko Niemelä, LAPIN KANSA (3.09.2010)
“…absolute virtuoso, fantastic playing…”
GOTLANDS TIDNINGAR, Sweden.
“…Innovatory, absolutely non-traditional approach”
Igor Golubev, THE LIGHTS OF VOLCHOFF
“…incredibly beautiful playing…”
Niilo Laitinen, SAVON SANOMAT, Finland
“…charming sounds of ancient Gusli…marvellous plasticity of movements and incredible musicality, purity of intonation and high technique literally hypnotize the audience”
Yury Yastrebov. Andreev evenings.
“…her brilliant playing fascinated the juree so much that she got the 1st prize”
MOSCOW GATE, Russia.
“Unprecedented case for the competitions of such level and status”
NARODNIK JOURNAL, Russia.
“Olga’s brisk playing made the skilled guitarists turn pale”
HAAPAVESI, Finland.
“If the lords of sea-depths admired Sadko’s skill of playing, Olga’s mastery attracts professional musicians as well as amateurs of our days”
MOSCOW GATE, Russia
“In Russian folklore it was considered that superiority in Gusli playing always belonged to men; classical examples are Sadko and Bayan. Olga, after her teacher Irina Ershova, proved them wrong, having shown with her virtuosity that women may be as good at playing as men”
MOSCOW GATE, Russia.
Romulus Chiciuc, who conjures music from his computer, and kantele virtuoso Olga Shishkina start a poetry concert.
Nina Jääskeläinen, Theatre&Dance+Circus 2/2014
Kannel, violin and electronics create an intense background for the human voice, which multiplies, folds, fragments and repeats regardless of the language. The Finnphonia Emigrantica performance is a handsome ensemble
Helsingin Sanomat, Lauri Meri, 7 February 2014
Egregore (extremely sensitively performed by Olga Shishkina, kantele, Timo Kaakkolammi, guitar, Vincent Lhermet, accordion and Anna Vaahtoranta, piano) on the other hand, gives the impression of an aesthetically fascinating curiosity within Tiensuu’s production – in many ways, of course, dictated by the extraordinary instrumentation.
HBL-Mats Liljeroos 26.10.2011