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BIOGRAPHY

Let me introduce myself:

My name is Dmitry Rishko, though modern music fans know me as Casper. I can play more than 20 music instruments, but mostly I practice playing violin, guitar, keyboards and don’t forget vocal practice. Russian audience knows me as an ex-member of the legendary punk rock band Korol I Shut (The King and The Joker) and not less famous rock band КняZz, European metalheads know me as an ex-member of the metal band Dominia. At the moment I’m the founder and leader of the Russian rock band Casper, international metal project Ruthenia and instrumental project CAS. Besides composing, songwriting and performing on a stage, I actively make arrangements and participate in music sessions, in the most cases as a violinist. From time to time I am being invited as a special guest to different Russian and international projects of other musicians. Sometimes I perform with the Russian folk rock band Veresk, having been their member and even a leader during more than 10 years. Though music is my main passion and occupation, I am the founder and chief of the small media company Whale Vox Productions, where I offer management services, soundtrack mastering as well as my producer’s skills. Also I am fond of literature, sometimes I write poems and fiction in Russian, my native language. 

I was born in Leningrad on 12th of September 1982, studied in the Russian-Finnish liceum and school #210. I got classical music education: graduated from the children’s music school #18, Sviridov art school, Mussorgsky music college, studied at Saint-Petesburg Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory, in the class of professor Shoulpyakov.

I started experiments in rock music in my youth, being a school student, independently. Also I joined as a member of my first rock band during my liceum times in the rock studio Neva.

Besides my passion to modern music, I have quite wide classical practice, as a member of the orchestra of the Saint-Petersburg State Glinka Academic Capella. As well as I was working as a harmonist, sound engineer and composer with several record studios and advertising agencies.

I collaborated with many Russian bands and musicians like: Alexey Gorshenyov, Michail Bashakov, Ilya Chyort, Andrey Knyazev, Brigadny Podryad, Krematory, Loins, Koukryniksy, The Slot, Koma, Ad Libitum, Narodnoye Opolchenie, Lena Te, Sasha Narovtsev and band Piligrim, Cafe, Skvortsy Stepanova, etc.. I was working with one of the outstanding jazz pianists Yuri Sobolev.

I was lucky to work with some European artists, such as: band Smokie (England), Noel Delfin and band Jus D’Orange (France), Darkside of Innocence (Portugal), Black Light Discipline (Finland), Gaby Koss (Germany). At one of the rock festivals I was honoured to play with Keri Kelly (Alice Cooper, Nightranger) and Chris Holmes (WASP).

Some more of my significant projects were participation in the international metal band God Eat God and post-rock band La Malian.

I was honoured to be endorsed by Reverend Guitars, famous American guitar manufacturer, as well as to become the first Russian musician to represent the world known German company GEWA Music.

Foundation of my first own band has become an extremely important milestone in my music career. The rock band The Nameless Cult was set up in 2015. This band can be considered an ancestor of the Casper band. At the moment the band is on hiatus, but I sincerely hope that it will return to the rock scene.

Also I composed and released the soundtrack of the computer game “Battle Will”, as well as the soundtrack for the cinema project A Hero of Our Time, participated in the short film Fallen and full movie A Violin of Rotshield, in the TV project Oldies But Goodies, theatre plays A Guest of Honour, Two Maples, Planet Love on the stage of Saint-Petersburg Akimov Academic Theatre of Comedy.

It is always pleasant when the music scene notices your contribution, and I highly appreciate professionalevaluation of my activities. As soon as the list of rewards received by the bands I was playing with may occupy too much space on the page, I’ll just share my personal rewards with you:

2008 – IV Award “Petersburg Musician” for contribution to musical culture of the city

2010 – V Award “Petersburg Musician” for contribution to musical culture of the city

2010 – Social Award “Hope of Kolpino”

In my ordinary human life I am a loving husband and father.

© Casper Music
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