Maxim Vengerov

Solista

Maxim Vengerov (born 1974 in the Siberian Federal District capital, Novosibirsk) is a Russian violinist. Vengerov was five when he received his first violin lessons from Galina Turtschaninova and later at the Royal Academy of Music in London (Junior Department). He later studied with the legendary violin teacher Zakhar Bron and was still only ten when he won the Junior Wieniawski Competition in Poland. Recital engagements in Moscow and Leningrad (St.Petersburg) followed, and he was soon appearing as concert soloist with such well‐known orchestras as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the USSR State Symphony Orchestra.

In 1995 his recording of the Prokofiev and Shostakovich violin concertos won Gramophone Awards in the 'Best Record of the year' and the 'Best Concerto Recording' categories, later also garnering two Grammy nominations. His 1997 recording The Road I Travel chronicles some of his best work to date, with one new track, 'Meditation from Thaīs' by Massenet.

1997 thrust Vengerov even further into the public spotlight: his rousing performance at the Hollywood Bowl in July was followed by another virtuoso performance in September, when Vengerov took the stage at the season opening of the New York Philharmonic with Maestro Kurt Masur. 1997 also marked the release of the follow‐up to the first, and critically‐acclaimed, Prokofiev and Shostakovich violin concertos, recorded with legendary conductor Mstislav Rostropovich. He is a professor of violin at the Royal Academy of Music, London.