Biography

A complete, fascinating and informative biography of Maxim up to the age of 15, and her life as his mother has recently been written by Larissa Vengerova.

It is at present published in Russian only but it is expected to be translated into English at some point in the near future. It contains very many photographs of the young Maxim with much previously unpublished material and anecdotes, and has such information as the very first reports from Maxim’s teachers

Details are:

A Pedagogical Study

Larissa Vengerova

Pub Moscow 2004 Vitali Kabakov

ISBN 965 7288-00 -2

It can be purchased here from a Russian online bookshop

Unofficial Website Short Biography

Maxim Vengerov was born near the Western Siberian capital, Novosibirsk, on August 20th 1974, and was brought up in that city. He was four when he began violin lessons and soon studied with Galina Turtschaninova. He began his concert career a few months after first beginning the instrument. He later studied with the legendary violin teacher Zakhar Bron and was still only ten when he won the Junior Wieniawski Competition in Poland.

In 1990 he won the Carl Flesch Competition in London. Recital engagements in Moscow and Leningrad followed, and he was soon appearing as concert soloist with such well-known orchestras as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic and the USSR State Symphony Orchestra. In 1995 his recording of the Prokoviev 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. Most of his numerous recordings made in the following years also received similar awards.

Maxim Vengerov has an international career, touring Europe and USA annually. He has also played in Asian countries such as Japan, China, Singapore, Korea and once in Australia. His reputation is of the highest and he is often referred to as being the greatest living violinist. His performances receive high praise for his musicianship, high intensity, expressive sound, dazzling virtuosity, charisma and involvement and interaction with the audience.

During 2003 he learnt to play the viola and recorded the Walton Concerto for that instrument.

He also has a world-wide reputation as a teacher and his master-classes are highly popular for participants and audience alike.

The first part of 2005 was a sabbatical when he undertook such new ventures as improvisatory jazz and dancing the tango for a viola work, the Viola Tango and Rock Concerto which was especially written for him by Benjamin Yusupov. Maxim Vengerov resumed recording and concert giving for the second half of the year.

2006, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of Shostakovich's birth, started with Maxim's performance of the Shostakovich Violin Concerto no 1, eight years after he last performed this work. Mozart concerti were also performed 2006 and chamber music concerts.

Early in 2007 Maxim fell and damaged his right arm. Unfortunately this proved disastrous for the 2007 concert season and he was unable to play as much as he had hoped, many concerts were either cancelled, including a perfromance at the Proms, or curtailed with him only able to play for a short time. His plan to record the remaining Mozart concerti was postponed.

As 2008 begins Maxim is hopeful that treatment on his arm has been successful and he is looking forward to being able to play again soon