PIANIST PLUMBS SOUL OF RUSSIA.

Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer

When Denis Evstuhin sits down at a concert grand piano tonight during the world's premier Rachmaninoff competition, he'll think of more than the $30,000 grand prize.

He'll think of his Mother Russia.

``In this piece, I see beautiful Russian nature, large fields, the Russian steppe - Russian soul,'' said St. Petersburg native Evstuhin, 24, about the Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 3 in D Minor.

``Chekhov. Tolstoy. A lot of Russian churches and bells.''

The Russian virtuoso, one of four finalists for the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition & Festival, will compete with a full orchestra tonight at Disney Concert Hall.

The competition will end Friday with an arduous face-off by two other pianists.

Evstuhin, who has been staying with the Pappas family in Woodland Hills, is one of 31 young contestants to enter a Rachmaninoff competition founded in 2002 to celebrate the Russian-born composer who died in Beverly Hills in 1943.

Amateurs need not apply. Only those with large, lightning hands. And of course, the souls of Russians.

``Being Russian also helps,'' said Armen Ter-Tatevosian, founder and president of the competition in which three out of four finalists hail from Mother Russia. The competition's only American, he said, was bumped in the first round.

``(These) are considered to be among the most difficult concertos in the piano repertoire, musically and technically.''

The 6-foot-3 Evstuhin wiggles his wrists, with his large hands flopping below his sleeves, to loosen up before the competition. His face is pale, the result of long winters and up to 12 hours a day at the piano.

He speaks seldom, preferring to sit down at the ivories of his American hosts, George C. and Sippin Pappas, longtime supporters of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

At the piano, a bumblebee takes flight in a spiral of glissandi.

``I love music,'' Evstuhin said. ``I work hard.''

When he was 5, his parents bought their only son a piano. But he wanted to be outside playing soccer or riding his bicycle with his friends. And he hated playing scales.

It was only when his father took his 9-year-old son to hear Verdi's ``La Traviata'' at the Kirov that he fell in love: He would become a musician.

Since then, he has studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, performed for worldwide audiences and won numerous competitions. This week, he will return to a two-year scholarship at Hamlin University in St. Paul, Minn.

``We are blessed to have him here,'' said Sippin Pappas, 76, former president of the International Committee of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, who has sated her guest with Greek and Chinese food.

``God gave us love for people, for music, for flowers. Our motive is to create global friendship through music.''

Evstuhin, when asked, says he is nervous - not about the $30,000 grand prize, to be issued by the city of Los Angeles. But about the competition.

``I'm excited. I love the music. It's a good excitement. I'm waiting for the holiday.''

Dana Bartholomew, [phone]

dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com

IF YOU GO

--The final rounds of the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition & Festival will take place at 7:30 p.m. today and Friday at Walt Disney Concert Hall downtown. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at [phone]. For information, contact mcint.org.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Sippin and George C. Pappas enjoy the music in their home while Russian pianist Denis Evstuhin is their guest before competing tonight at Disney Concert Hall.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

Box:

IF YOU GO (see text)