Eric Radford is one-half of the 2012 Canadian national champions in pairs skating. With partner Meagan Duhamel, he won gold at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships in January, and he cites the music of Tchaikovsky as an inspiration.

Fresh from Nationals, and during a short lull before preparing for the World Figure Skating Championships in Nice, France, in late March, Radford made time to speak with CBC Music about the classical music that means the most to him.

Radford recalls hearing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto for the first time when he was 14.

“A friend of mine in the Winnipeg Youth Orchestra took part in a master class with violinist Joshua Bell, who was in town performing this piece with the Winnipeg Symphony. My friend brought in a recording of the Tchaikovsky concerto played by Nathan Milstein, and I instantly fell in love with it. And, more importantly, I knew I wanted to skate to it!”

Radford “permanently borrowed” his friend’s recording and listened to it every day. “The main theme of the first movement is very catchy and when it’s played by the whole string section it seemed very uplifting to me.”

Tchaikovsky leads to skating gold

Radford credits Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with some of his early success.

“This piece of music definitely played a part in making me the skater I am today. I won my first national championship (the novice men's title) in 2002 skating to this piece of music.”

Milstein’s recording of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto remains Eric’s preferred version of the work.

“The clarity and precision of every note, the incredible tempo and the vibrancy in the sound of his violin stand out in my mind. This piece is one of a few classical pieces I still listen to around the house or on a long drive. It will always be one of my favourites and remind me of my first national gold medal.”

Eric Radford and Meagan Duhamel won bronze in November at the Trophée Eric Bompard Grand Prix, skating their long program not to Tchaikovsky but to Coldplay. Watch them in their closing gala performance, skating to Don’t Stop Believing from the soundtrack of Glee's first season.

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posted by Robert Rowat on Feb 14, 2012