GFA Accepting Donations for Alexey Zimakov Benefit Fund Thursday, February 14, 2013 (1 Comments)

Posted by: Connie Sheu

Share | The Guitar Foundation of America is currently accepting donations on behalf of Alexey Zimakov, winner of the 1991 GFA International Concert Artist Competition. Zimakov recently lost eight of his fingers due to a tragic incident of frostbite (see news story below). 100% of donations will go directly to helping Zimakov with additional costs of treatment and recovery. Zimakov was born in Tomsk, Siberia in 1971. He first studied guitar with his father, then received additional training at the Tomsk School of Music and the Russian Academy of Music. Zimakov was the first Russian guitarist to win the GFA competition, and his stunning technique and strong musical personality have been an inspiration to younger generations of Russian guitarists.



Donations can be made via Paypal or check. Please direct Paypal payments to zimakovfund@guitarfoundation.org. Checks can be made payable to The Alexey Zimakov Benefit Fund and sent (postmarked no later than April 1, 2013) to:



GFA

P.O. Box 171269

Austin, TX 78717



Please note: these donations are NOT tax-deductible.



The original story from the newspaper in Siberia, translation by Vladimir Gorbach:

http://sibterra.info/News/2013/1/29/pomoshzimakovu



Renowned Russian Guitarist Needs Help



In December 2012 Alexey Zimakov had a severe hand injury caused by frostbite. Eight of his fingers had to be amputated, which left him with only two thumbs. In the meantime, Alexey is back home from the hospital, but in May he is scheduled to undergo another series of operations, an additional cost he is not yet able to afford.



The media reports that on a December night, Mr. Zimakov could not get into his apartment building, and fell asleep outside in the temperature around -40 C. It is said that any medical help came too late.



According to the news portal "Afisha.Tomsk", the musician's friends have already started the fundraising to finance further medical expenses. Zimakov's colleague Artyom Dervoed will donate his fee after a concert on Feb 27 in Alexey's home city of Tomsk. The artist's fans are currently planning to organize another public event to get the necessary support.



Alexey Zimakov was born in Tomsk in 1971. He graduated with honors in his music high school and then moved to Moscow to continue his education at the famous Gnessin Russian Academy of Music. In 1990 he won the All-Russian Music Competition where he was competing among other instruments (the first guitarist to get the 1st prize in the history of the competition) and the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America Competition held in Miami in 1991.

