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, Grammy award winner Maxim Vengerov also enjoys international acclaim as a conductor and is one of the most in-demand soloists. 

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 extensively for high-profile labels including Melodia, Teldec and EMI, 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 turned his attention to conducting and in 2010 was appointed the first chief conductor of the Gstaad Festival Orchestra. June 2014 saw MrVengerov graduate with a Diploma of Excellence from the Moscow Institute of Ippolitov-Ivanov with professor Yuri Simonov and he has since finished a further 2-year program of opera conducting.  

Highlights of recent seasons saw 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 as well as a world widerecital and orchestra tours to the US including Berkeley, Boston, New York, also the Musikverein Vienna and an extensive tour in Australia New Zealand, Singapore and China for his 50th Birthday celebrations. He also toured extensively in the US and Canadia in recital including Berkeley, Kansas City, New York and Toronto, as well as an 11 concerts tour in the UK.  

Other orchestral performances as a soloist include Montreal, Vienna, London, Paris and Taiwan and chamber music concerts with Evgeny Kissin and Stephen Isserliss at Carngie Hall, and in Switzerland with Simon Trpcesky andStephen Isserliss. He also joined Aspen and Bravo Vale Festival in the States this summer in Recital, Masterclasses and Concerto performance with Fabio Luisi and the Dallas SO and celebrated 40 years on stage at a sold outRoyal Albert Hall concert performing both Brahms Violin concerto and Brahms Double Concerto.  

In 2023/24 he opened the Shanghai International Festival with Christoph Eschenbach, and embarqued on another world wide Recital tour including America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia and orchestra concerts in amongst others in Vienna, Paris and Milan. 

Highlights from 24/25 season onwards will be the start of a 3 year Perspective at Carnegie Hall with over 12 concerts, starting with all Mozart concertos November 2024 and ending with all Beethoven Sonatas in 2027 with Martha Argerich. His Perspective will also see him partner up with other  famous musicians including Ivan Fischer, Evgeny Kissin, Yefim Bronfman, Alisa Weilerstein, Steven Isserliss and Tony Pappano.  

In 2020 Maxim Vengerov became Classic FM’s first solo Artist in Residence and released a new recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concertowith 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 Carnegie Hall. 

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 as well as the Royal College of Music and Royal Academy 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 vision of democratising the access of music learning, he launched his own online platform in January 2021:www.maximvengerov.com and created an impact across 170 countries and over 190 million reach. His first year programs include partnerships with musical institutions from around the world, the Lottery Ticket program, guest artist series inaugurated with Brett Yang from TwoSet Violin, as well as his new global community group who’s initiatives include the world leading Mentoring program, rural musical communities initiative and the Musical Pen Pals program for children. 

Mr Vengerov has been profiled in a series of documentaries, including Playing by Heart, which was recorded by Channel Four Television and screened at the Cannes Television Festival in 1999, and Living the Dream, which was released worldwide and received the Gramophone Award for Best Documentary in 2008.Mr Vengerov has received prestigious fellowships and honours from a number of institutions. In 2012 he was awarded an Honorary Visiting Fellowship at Trinity College Oxford and in 2019 he received an Honorary Doctorate from the Royal College of Music London and in 2019 he received an Honorary Doctorate from the Royal College of Music London. 

Mr Vengerov has also received numerous awards including Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (with Orchestra) (2003), two Gramophone awards (1994, 1995), a Classical Brit Award (2004), five Edison Classical Music Awards (1995, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2004), two ECHO awards (1997, 2003) and a World Economic Forum Crystal award (2007) - honoring 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) among other instruments. 

(No element can be changed prior to approval with his management NFBM Ltd.) 

Long Bio
(English)