Kristina Sun: a drummer who inspires people

Afisha.London magazine continues its column in which it talks about talented people of art who deserve attention. The heroine of this article is Kristina Sun, a drummer who inspires listeners with her playing and gives them energy.

Kristina Biryukova, also known as Kristina Sun, is a professional musician, drummer who has been playing since childhood. Kristina’s mother is an accompanist and music teacher, and her father organizes events, concerts, and performances. When Kristina was five years old, she began to attend various afterschool programmes: music, dancing, choir. Initially, Kristina was brought up on classical music and a little later came to popular music.

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For the first time, Kristina saw a drum set in a music video, which was often shown on TV in 2007. As a student at a music school, Kristina attended concerts and academic exams, listened to other musicians and drummers. It was then that she realized that drums are life, these are sounds that make sense.

“It is so interesting and mysterious to me because it is the skill that can be learned for a lifetime. Drums are like a riddle that you’re trying to solve” — says Kristina.

Kristina graduated from a music school in piano and percussion. She develops mainly as an independent musician, participates in competitions (including international ones), where she wins prizes, attends master classes of Russian and foreign world-famous drummers, communicates with mentors, and studies new playing techniques. Kristina also promotes her social networks and popularizes drums by performing on the street with a drum kit. In 2021, she took part in the competition of the Danish group Vola in social networks and became a finalist. The Danish television channel TV2 was doing a special for which Kristina was interviewed — it was an interesting opportunity to communicate with other talented musicians and exchange experiences.

Kristina is a big fan of The Beatles, Depeche Mode, The Cure, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Duran Duran and other musicians of English culture that inspire her. In her work, she looks up to such drummers as Shannon Leto (Thirty Seconds to Mars), Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, The Pineapple Thief), Arik Improta (Fever 333, Night Verses) and other contemporary musicians.

In 2018, during the World Cup, Kristina decided to go outside with an instrument for the first time and try busking, which is common in Europe and Scandinavia. She notes that concerts in public and on the street are very different: usually the listeners know the musician and their programme, and on the street the public sees them for the first time. The musician does not know how the public, the police, the residents of neighboring houses will react, what the weather conditions will be like. However, Kristina believes, if you prepare in advance, get in the mood and not worry about what others will say, but just do the work of your life and play, then everything will definitely work out. Many people speak of Kristina not only as a talented drummer, but also as a brave person who believes that dreams come true, that the most important thing is desire.

Kristina inspires people: she receives letters from enthusiastic listeners both in social networks and written by hand, people approach her on the street to hug and express gratitude. Many say that the drummer’s performance makes them smile, even if they were not in the mood.

“Live, dare, act, share love and music in all its manifestations. The most important thing is desire, and then everything can be achieved. Be bolder, take risks” — Kristina’s motto.

Since 2019, Kristina has been teaching drumming, sharing her knowledge and experience with students, teaching a variety of techniques and improving herself at the same time.

Margarita Bagrova

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