Instagram: @gofingerstyle
“The first time you perform your own composition live and people respond to it, it’s a life-changing experience. ”
Interview: We speak with Maxim Yarushkin ahead of Next Big Thing
Your playing leans heavily into narrative and emotion, even without lyrics. What kinds of stories, experiences, or influences have been shaping the musical worlds you create on guitar?
I started out as a classical guitarist, and that had a huge impact on me. It really shaped my attention to detail and a very careful, sensitive relationship with sound. Even though I don’t play classical music anymore and focus on my own compositions, that foundation is still very much there. Later on, discovering artists like Tommy Emmanuel, Andy McKee, and other modern acoustic guitarists who step on stage completely alone was a turning point for me. It showed me that you can create full, expressive instrumental music on a single guitar, outside of jazz, classical, or flamenco traditions. When it comes to my own stories or personal experiences, I usually don’t explain them directly. That’s actually why I need music in the first place. I’m not always able to express those things with words in the way I want.
Is there a particular piece, performance, or breakthrough moment in your journey that felt like a creative turning point, something that shifted how you play or compose?
Beyond my classical background and discovering Tommy Emmanuel and Andy McKee, I’d also point to the Finnish guitarist Petteri Sariola as a major influence. His percussive approach really shaped the way I play. Building on that, I developed my own style where percussion became a natural part of everything I do. No matter the melody or the chords, I can add a rhythmic, drum-like layer directly on the acoustic guitar. It feels like rhythm and harmony are always happening at the same time.
Another real turning point was when I started performing my own original music on stage. For many years, I played classical repertoire, then covers and my own arrangements, but it was still someone else’s music. The first time you perform your own composition live and people respond to it, it’s a life-changing experience. At that moment, you’re on stage as yourself, one hundred percent.
“I try to play in a way that makes people wonder if they’re really hearing just one guitar on stage.”
Who or what has been inspiring your playing lately, whether musically, emotionally, or technically, and does that influence show up in the pieces you’re performing at Next Big Thing?
A big influence lately has actually been my move to the UK. I relocated here the summer before last, and at the time I didn’t even know which part of the country I wanted to live in. I genuinely feel lucky to have found the North East. I know some locals might argue with me, but for me it feels very calm, welcoming, and friendly. Especially after the intense and unstable years before my move, including leaving Russia, this sense of peace has been really important. I can definitely hear that feeling reflected in the new music I’ve written since moving here. At the same time, I haven’t abandoned groove and funk. I’ll still be playing some more dynamic pieces too, including a couple of compositions inspired by my favourite band, Vulfpeck.
For anyone discovering you for the first time at this event, what’s the one thing you hope they walk away understanding about your identity as a guitarist and as a performer?
I’d really love people to see a different side of the acoustic guitar during my performance. That it’s not just an instrument for accompanying verses, but a complete, independent voice with a lot of range. I try to play in a way that makes people wonder if they’re really hearing just one guitar on stage. Musically, in an ideal world, I don’t want people to leave thinking mainly about me or my identity. Because the music is instrumental and wordless, it opens space for personal interpretation. I hope people recognise something about themselves in it. For me, the concert is an invitation into that musical world.
Little Buildings has a reputation for championing emerging talent. What does being part of Next Big Thing represent for you at this stage in your artistic development?
More than anything, I’m really looking forward to playing for open-minded listeners. There’s nothing better than sharing your music with people who are genuinely listening. Since I moved here not that long ago, I still don’t know many people locally, so this also feels like a great chance to connect, meet new faces, and be part of the community.
Event Details
Date: 11 February
Venue: Little Buildings, Ouseburn
Music from: 7pm
Tickets: £4