Denis Matsuev

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Denis Matsuev
Denis Matsuev

Denis Leonidovich Matsuev (Дени́с Леони́дович Мацу́ев) (born June 11, 1975) is a Russian pianist who won the first prize in the prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1998 in Moscow.

Contents

[edit] Childhood in Irkutsk

Matsuev was born in Irkutsk, Russian Federation, into a family of musicians. His mother was a piano teacher, and his father was a well-known pianist and composer in Irkutsk Oblast. When Matsuev was 3 years old, he heard a melody on television and went to the piano and reproduced the melody precisely with one finger. This made his father realise his son had prodigious gift and he became Matsuev's first music teacher. By the age of 15, Denis studied in a music school in Irkutsk. He also loved to play hockey and football as a child, and he broke his arm twice. This was a reason for continuous arguments between him and his father.

[edit] Years in Moscow

In 1990 Matsuev moved to Moscow with his parents to continue his education there. In Moscow he studied at the Central Musical School. In 1991 he became a laureate of the International Charity Foundation "New Names" programme. In 1993 he took part for the first time in an international piano competition in South Africa where he was awarded the first prize. In the same year he entered the Moscow Conservatory as a student of Professor Nasedkin and later Professor Dorensky. In 1995 Denis became a soloist with the Moscow State Philharmonic.

[edit] Into the world arena

Winning the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1998 at an age of 23 was the turning point in his career. Matsuev embarked on a concertising career touring the main concert venues of the world and played with famous conductors such as Evgeny Svetlanov, Vladimir Spivakov, and Claudio Abbado. Matsuev now gives around 150 concerts per year. He is also the organizer of two festivals in Russia. The first one is "Stars on Baikal", his musical gift to his homeland and Baikal, and the other one is Crescendo, which was first held in Moscow in 2005 and then in Saint Petersburg in 2006.

[edit] His performance art

The Dusseldorf newspaper West Deutsche Zeitung wrote, "Denis Matsuev possesses phenomenal talents. His playing gives one a basis for believing that a new star has appeared among a constellation of pianists."

Matsuev also plays jazz piano music. He was the first pianist to perform a jazz concert at the Moscow Conservatoire.

Matsuev performs most of his concerts on Yamaha pianos, and he is a Yamaha Artist.

[edit] Discography

  1. Denis Matsouev - Haydn, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev. © & (P) 1997 NEW NAMES
  2. Denis Matsouev, piano - Haydn, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev. © & (P) VIVENDI 1999.
  3. Denis Matsouev, piano - Beethoven, Tchaikowsky, Liszt, Prokofiev. Collection Etoiles. Enregistrement en public - Eglise Notre-Dame d'Auvers-sur-Oise, 27.05.2000
  4. MATSUEV - Liszt: Mephisto Waltz S.514, Schumann: Symphonic Etudes op. 13, Schubert: Piano Sonata No.14 in a minor D.784. Sacrambow (Japan), © & (P) 2000 JAPAN ARTS
  5. Classic Masterpieces. BUDAPEST Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor Rico Saccani. Tchaikovsky - Piano concertos Nos. 1 & 2. Soloist: Denis MATSOUEV. © & (P) 2003 Independent Music & Media Alliance LTD.
  6. DENIS MATSUEV - Tribute to Horowitz. Liszt, Bizet-Horowitz, Rossini-Ginzburg. (P) & © 2004 BMG Russia.
  7. MARISS JANSONS - Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks - DENIS MATSUEV. Stravinsky - Firebird Suite, Shchedrin - Piano Concerto No.5. © 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertainment
  8. Denis Matsuev - Stravinsky & Tchaikovsky. I. Stravinsky - Three Movements From Petrouchka, P.I.Tchaikovsky - The Seasons. RCA Red Seal. (P) & © 2005 Sony BMG Music Entertainment.
  9. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No 1 & Shostakovich: Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and Strings. St Petersburg PO/Temirkanov. RCA Red Seal (P) & © 2007 Sony BMG Music Entertainment.

[edit] External links