HEARTFELT tributes have been paid to a talented pianist and composer who died after falling into a Colchester river following a night out with friends.

Roddy Ashworth

HEARTFELT tributes have been paid to a talented pianist and composer who died after falling into a Colchester river following a night out with friends.

The body of Ivan Reshetilov was pulled from the River Colne in Colchester on Friday morning.

The 23-year-old had been out in the town on Thursday and was reported missing by his family in the early hours of the following day.

Police have said the death of the former Colchester Royal Grammar School pupil was a “tragic accident” and referred the matter to the Essex coroner.

Mr Reshetilov, who also used the second name Redman, was a pupil at Trinity College of Music in Greenwich, London, where he was about to enter his fourth year of a music degree with principle study in composition.

His family live in Rowhedge, Colchester, and Mr Reshetilov was visiting when he went out with friends on Thursday.

Tributes to the Moscow-born musician have flooded in with a memorial page on the social networking site Facebook attracting more than 200 members who shared their happy memories of the “warm, bubbly and friendly guy”.

The page was set up by his girlfriend, Lucy Smith, 21, of Longfield in Kent.

She told the EADT last night: “Ivan was the most warm, loving person who had time for everybody he met.

“His passion and zest for life were reflected in his musical talents as both composer and pianist.

“We had the most wonderful years together and I will always cherish those precious times.”

Kirsty Cassie Sawkins wrote in tribute: “I will always remember the afternoon we went to Mann's music to look at guitars and you sat and played on one of the pianos. You played beautifully.

”Whenever I spoke of my friend Ivan I always said that everyone should get to meet you at least once.

“I am so glad we are friends, you are brilliant and you are wonderful.”

Rosie Elrington posted: “I will always remember Ivan aka the crazy Russian aka 'the secret chief' as a true friend with a big heart, someone who was always there for me when I needed him and someone who could bring a smile to anyone's face, with his unbelievable naivety at times and his incomparable eccentricity.

“He truly was one of a kind.”

And Lara Griffin remembered: “No matter how boring a topic might have seemed, Ivan was always enthusiastic to discuss it.

“He'd come up to me in the college canteen and show enthusiasm over whatever text book, whatever score or whatever essay I was busy reading.

“It was the nod and “that's really cool” that was so Ivan-esque.

“He was a modern-day gentleman, always seemingly looking out for everyone else.”

Mr Reshetilov moved to the UK in 1995 when he first took an interest in music and performed his first solo piano recital at the age of 17.

He was a pupil at Colchester Royal Grammar School until 2002 and later sat his A Levels at Colchester Sixth Form College.