BIOGRAPHY

Universally hailed as one of the world’s finest musicians, and often referred to as the greatest living string player in the world today.

Born in 1974, he began his career as a solo violinist at the age of five, won the Wieniawski and Carl Flesch international competitions at ages 10 and 15 respectively, studied with Galina Tourchaninova and Zakhar Bron, made his first recording at the age of 10, and went on to record for high-profile labels including Melodia, Teldec, Deutsche Gramophone andWarner, earning among others, Grammy and Gramophone artist of the year awards.

In 2007 he followed in the footsteps of his mentor, the late Mstislav Rostropovich and Daniel Barenboim, and turned his attention to conducting and in 2010 was appointed the first chief conductor of the Gstaad Festival Orchestra. He has conducted the Munich Phiharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Montreal and Toronto Symphony Orchestra, RTE Dublin and Orchestre National de France amongst others.

In January 2020 Maxim Vengerov became Classic FM’s first solo Artist in Residence and released a new recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with conductor Myung-Whun Chung and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, coupled with works by Saint-Säens and Ravel as well as a live recital from his Carnegie Hall concert in October 2018.

Recent Highlights include Mr Vengerov opening the season of the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala with Maestro Chailly, a Residence with Monte Carlo Philharmonic and the Philharmonie in Paris and extensive recital tours throughout the world. Mr Vengerov also celebrated 40years on stage with a sold-out Royal Albert Hall concert performing both Brahms Violin concerto and Brahms Double Concerto.

Throughout 2023-24, Maxim Vengerov will tour the world with over sixty concerts spanning Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Highlights included Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Orchestra della Scala and Zubin Mehta, the opening night of the China Shanghai International Arts Festival with Christoph Eschenbach and Sibelius with the Wiener Symphoniker at the Musikverein in Vienna. However center stage in his career always take his extensive recital tours which include this season London’s Barbican Centre, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, Paris’s Salle Gaveau, Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Barcelona’s Palau de la Musica, Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, Chicago’s Symphony Center, Carnegie Hall, Berkeley’s Cal Performances, Ann Arbor’s Hill Auditorium, Bogota’s Teatro Major, the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Sydney’s Opera House, Taipei’s National Concert Hall and Seoul’s Lotte Concert Hall.

For his 50 th Birthday celebrations, highlights of the coming season will be the start of a three year Perspective at Carnegie Hall with over 12 concerts, starting with all Mozart concertos this November and accumulating with all Beethoven Sonatas in 2027. His Perspective will also see him partner up with various famous chamber music partners, including Evgeny Kissin, Yefim Bronfman and Martha Argerich.

As one of Mr Vengerov’s greatest passions is the teaching and encouraging of young talent, he has held various teaching positions around the world, including the Mozarteum University Salzburg and at the Royal Academy and College of Music in London. In 2018 Maxim Vengerov became the Goodwill Ambassador of the Musica Mundi School - a unique institution, which supports young talents. With the aim of making musical support generally accessible, he initiated his own online teaching platform in January 2021: www.maximvengerov.com

Mr Vengerov has received numerous awards including Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance and a World Economic Forum Crystal award in 2007, honouring artists who have used their art to improve the state of the world, as well as the Ordre du Chevallier from the Palace in Monte Carlo where he resides.

He plays the ex-Kreutzer Stradivari (1727) amongst others.

Long Bio
(English)