Denis Matsuev,
Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra,
ladimir Fedoseyev

Since his triumph in the 1998 at the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition, Denis Matsuev has become a virtuoso in the grandest of Russian pianistic tradition and has quickly established himself as one of the most prominent pianists of his generation.

Mr. Matsuev performs with the world's best known orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia, Pittsburg Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony, Staatskapelle Dresden, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra,  BBC Symphony, Philharmonia, Montreal Symphony, Filarmonica della Scala, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Vienna Symphony, Israel Philharmonic and Rotterdam Philharmonic, Oslo Philharmonic, National Orchestra of Belgium, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, Verbier and Budapest Festival Orchestras, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, NHK Symphony, as well as the European Chamber Orchestra. He is continually re-engaged with the legendary Russian orchestras such as the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Mariinsky Orchestra and the Russian National Orchestra.

Denis performs recitals at Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Center, Maison symphonique de Montréal, Koerner Hall in Toronto, Victoria Hall in Geneva, Vienna Konzerthaus and Musikverein, Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, G. Verdi Conservatory in Turin, Tonhalle in Zurich, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Gasteig in Munich, Accademia Filarmonica Romana in Rome, Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Verdi in Milan and Flagey in Brussels.

Denis Matsuev regularly appears with the most distinguished conductors on a stage today, including Valery Gergiev, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Chailly, Christian Thielemann, Paavo Jarvi, Antonio Pappano, Charles Dutoit, Alain Gilbert, Leonard Slatkin, Myung-Whun Chung, Semyon Bychkov, Iván Fischer, Adam Fisher, Gianandrea Noseda, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Manfred Honeck, James Conlon, Vladimir Spivakov, Mikhail Pletnev, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Yury Bashmet, Alexander Sladkovsky, Kristian Jarvi and others.

Mr. Matsuev is a frequent guest of world famous music festivals such as Verbier Festival and Lucerne Music Festival in Switzerland, BBC Proms and Edinburgh International Festival in Great Britain, Schleswig-Holstein, Rheingau, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden in Germany, Les Chorégies d’Orange and Festival de la Rogue d’Anthéron in France, Ravinia and the Hollywood Bowl in the U.S., Chopin Festival in Poland, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and Mito Festival in Italy, Montreux Festival in Switzerland, Enescu Festival in Romania, Baltic Sea Festival in Sweden and Stars of the White Nights Festival in Russia.

In 2010, in Avery Fisher Hall, the New York Philharmonic gave the orchestra’s 15,000th concert – a number unmatched by any other orchestra. Denis Matsuev was a leading soloist in this unprecedented milestone concert, which was conducted by Maestro Valery Gergiev, and was praised highly by music critics.

For many years Denis Matsuev has led numerous musical festivals and educational projects which have added to his role as a prominent public figure. Since 2004 he has organized Stars on Baikal in Irkutsk, Siberia (in 2009 he was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Irkutsk), and since 2005 he has been the artistic director of the Crescendo music festival (a series of events held in international cities such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Tel Aviv, Kaliningrad, Paris and New York). In 2010 he became the artistic director of Annecy Music Festival in Annecy, France, with the goal to bring together Russian and French music cultures.

In 2012 Denis Matsuev became the artistic director of I International Astana Piano Passion Festival and Competition as well as the artistic director of International Festival and Competition Sberbank DEBUT in Kiev in 2013. In 2016 Denis Matsuev as the artistic director of the Competition and chairman of the Organizing Committee started a new competition for young pianists in Moscow – Grand Piano Competition. Next editions took place in 2018 and 2021. Additionally, Mr. Matsuev is the president of the charitable New Names foundation that discovers and supports talented children and helps to develop music education in regions of his native Russia. More than 10000 children received monetary grants and/or opportunity to perform at the professional stage.

In 2007, RCA Red Seal released “Unknown Rachmaninoff” featuring Mr. Matsuev. His Carnegie Hall recital in November 2007 was released in 2009 as “Denis Matsuev – Concert at Carnegie Hall.” Mariinsky Label releases include Rachmaninoff Concertos No. 2, No. 3, Prokofiev Concertos No. 3, No. 5, Shostakovich Concertos No. 1, No. 2 and Shchedrin Fifth, performed by Denis Matsuev and Mariinsky Theatre orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev. In April 2013 Denis Matsuev presented the record (RCA Red Seal) with Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 and Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, accompanied by the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Alan Gilbert. In September 2013 the label LSO Live released a disc with Denis Matsuev and LSO under the baton of Valery Gergiev performing Symphonia Concertante by Szymanowski. Gramophone has chosen Denis Matsuev’s recording of Tchaikovsky Concerti Nos. 1 & 2 as their recording of the month in April 2014.

For many years Denis Matsuev has collaborated with the Sergei Rachmaninoff Foundation, established by Alexander Rachmaninoff, the grandson of the composer. Mr. Matsuev was chosen by the Foundation to perform and record Rachmaninoff’s unknown pieces on the composer's own piano at the Rachmaninoff house Villa Senar in Lucerne. Later, he became the artistic director of the Foundation.

In 2021 Denis Matsuev became the artistic director of renewed Rachmaninoff Competition in Moscow with three nominations: pianist, composer and conductor.

Denis Matsuev is a laureate of prestigious Shostakovich Prize in Music as well as the State Prize of Russian Federation in Literature and Arts. He also is a People’s Artist of Russia. Denis Matsuev was named Honorary Professor of the Moscow State University. He is a member of The Presidential Council for Culture and Arts, Honored Artist of Russia and was the head of The Public Council under The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

In February 2014 Denis Matsuev was awarded the honour of performing at the official Closing Ceremony of the XXII Winter Olympic games in Sochi and at the same year UNESCO designated Denis Matsuev as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. In 2016 Denis Matsuev was announced as 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia ambassador. Denis Matsuev was awarded with State Order of Honour. And in 2017 he received Government of Russia Prize in the sphere of Culture for his International Stars on Baikal Music Festival in Irkutsk.

As the Ambassador of FIFA World Cup Russia Denis organized the unique concert with participation of Valery Gergiev, Anna Netrebko, Placido Domingo and other stars of classical music at the Red Square in Moscow on 13th of June 2018. In 2019 Denis Matsuev was awarded with Lev Nikolaev gold medal for his significant contribution to education and popularization of science and culture. In 2021 ICMA awarded Denis Matsuev with the prize for Video Performance of the Rachmaninoff Third concert with Riccardo Chailly and Lucerne Festival Orchestra.

Denis Matsuev was the jury Chairman for the International Tchaikovsky Competition in the piano category (2019, 2023).

The Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1930. Until the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Orchestra was the official orchestra of the Soviet Radio Network. Alexander Orlov became the Orchestra’s first director in 1930 and is credited with developing a diverse and voluminous repertoire. From 1937 to the present, a series of outstanding directors have contributed to the Orchestra’s distinctive artistic style and personality: Nikolay Golovanov (1937–1953), Alexander Gauk (1953–1961), Gennady Rozhdestvensky (1961–1974). In 1974, Vladimir Fedoseyev assumed leadership, and turned the Orchestra into one of Russia’s most widely acclaimed ensembles.

Over the years, a distinguished group of composers, guest conductors and soloists have played an integral role in the development of the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra: Stokowski, Mravinsky, Cluytens, Sebastian, Abendrot, Feitelberg, Zecchi and Sanderling are among the artists who have led the ensemble. Emil Gilels, Yury Bashmet, Victor Tretyakov, Gidon Kremer, Misha Maisky, Oleg Maisenberg, Lisa Leonskaja and more contemporary musicians (among them Maxim Vengerov, Vadim Repin, and Mikhail Pletnev) have supported the Orchestra from the very beginning of their career as musicians. In 1993, the Orchestra was renamed by the decree of the Russian Ministry of Culture and became Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio. Awarding the Orchestra the name of this great Russian composer was recognition of its role in promoting much of the music written by Tchaikovsky. 

The Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra traditionally participates in the legendary international Tchaikovsky Competition and also in the musical evenings which take place in the Tchaikovsky museums in Klin and Votkinsk. The Orchestra has given premieres of the new works of such prominent composers as Shostakovich, Khachaturian, Myaskovsky, Prokofiev, Gliere, Sviridov, Boris Tchaikovsky and Gubaidulina. It has also premiered works of the best composers from the former Soviet Union such as Taktakishvili, Toradze, Oganesyan, Melikov, Barkauskas, Tormis and many more. Engagements abroad have included appearances in London, Tokyo, Paris, Milan, Munich, Frankfurt, Geneva, Stockholm, Rome, Oslo, Prague and many other major cities. The Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra is the only Russian orchestra consistently invited to open the concert season in the prestigious Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. 

The Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra is a frequent participant in numerous festivals; Beethoven Festival in Bonn, Bruckner Festival in Linz, Mozart Festival in Salzburg, Menuhin Festival in Gstaad, Klang Bogen in Vienna, Rachmaninov Festivals in Los Angeles, Carinthian Summer in Villach, Millennium in Athens, Scriabin Festival in Graz, Festival of Modern Music in Paris, Festival of Prokofiev, Russian Modern Music in Germany, Jeunesse Festivals in Vienna, Grieg Festival in Bergen as well as festivals in Hong Kong, Rome, Bregenz, Baden-Baden, Zurich and Edinburgh. In 1990, the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra was the first Russian orchestra to perform at the Salzburg Festival in honour of the Festival’s 70th anniversary. 

For more than 40 years, Vladimir Fedoseyev has led the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra in the tradition of his predecessors. His interpretations are famous for their depth, artistic passion and great sensitivity for the national character of Russian music. Maestro Fedoseyev has created in the Orchestra a specific melodious emotional style that distinguishes it from others and has helped it to earn worldwide acclaim. Vladimir Fedoseyev and the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra have recorded extensively for a variety of labels including Ariola, JVC, Musica, Philips, Pony Canyon, Relief Records and Sony Classical.

Conductor Vladimir Fedoseyev was born in Leningrad on August 5, 1932. He received his musical education at the State Gnessins Music Teachers Institute (now the Russian Gnessins Music Academy) and attended a graduate course at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory with Professor Leo Ginsburg. He started his conducting career in the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra after he was invited by Evgeny Mravinsky. Vladimir Fedoseyev’s theatrical conducting debut also took place in Leningrad, at the State Kirov (Mariinsky) Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre where he staged The Tsar’s Bride by Rimsky-Korsakov. In the 1980s and 1990s, Vladimir Fedoseyev presented concert versions of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Snow Maiden and Rachmaninoff’s Aleko at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. He conducted Verdi’s Requiem performed by the World Festival Choir and the outstanding soloists Carol Vaness, Florence Ouivar, Luciano Pavarotti and Roberto Scanduizzi in Oslo, Stockholm and Munich.

In the same period of time, the conductor was involved in opera and ballet productions at some of Europe’s best venues, including Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tale of Tsar Saltan (1988) and Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades and The Sleeping Beauty (1989) at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Bizet’s Carmen (1993), Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov (1994) and Bartok’s The Miraculous Mandarin (1995) at the Vienna State Opera, Glinka’s A Life for the Tsar (1996), Rubinstein’s The Demon and Verdi’s Attila (1998) at the Opernhaus in Zurich. Today, Fedoseyev continues to collaborate with the best theatres. So, in 2015 and 2016, he conducted the new La Scala productions of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker (choreographed by Nacho Duato) and The Sleeping Beauty (choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky). In January 2017, he conducted the premiere nights of Puccini’s Turandot at the Helicon-Opera in Moscow and then was invited to be the theatre’s musical director. 

The name of Vladimir Fedoseyev is associated with many orchestras across the world. He was the first guest conductor of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra since 2000, a guest conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra of Munich, the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra of Paris, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, the orchestras of Stuttgart, Essen, Cleveland and Pittsburg. Between 1997 and 2006, Vladimir Fedoseyev was the chief conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and that decade was marked with the orchestra’s triumphal tours in the countries of Central Europe, Japan, China and the Philippines, as well as the cycle “Beethoven’s Complete Symphonic Works” which was concluded on the 1st of January 2000 with the performance of the Missa solemnis. 

No matter how diverse the conductor’s artistic activities are, the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra holds the central place in the life of Vladimir Fedoseyev who has been its artistic director and chief conductor for more than four decades. During these years the conductor formed a special, recognizable style that brought TSO international fame, performed numerous premieres of contemporary composers’ works constantly extending artistic contacts with Russian and foreign composers, as he did in the beginning of his career with Shostakovich and Sviridov and later on with Krzysztof Penderecki (Poland), Ragnar Soderlind (Norway), Vladimir Rubin and Roman Ledenyov (Russia). Among the first large-scale projects of the conductor and TSO were concert productions and performances of the operas Cavalleria rusticana by Mascagni, Cherevichki by Tchaikovsky, and The Snow Maiden and May Night by Rimsky-Korsakov realized for the radio and sound recording. 

Many of Vladimir Fedoseyev’s recordings, including all symphonies by Beethoven, symphonies by Tchaikovsky, Mahler and Taneyev, were bestsellers. The conductor’s discography also features all symphonies by Brahms released by Warner Classics & Jazz, and symphonies by Shostakovich published by Pony Canyon in Japan. Vladimir Fedoseyev is an owner of numerous prizes and awards, including the Silver Award from Japan’s Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (for the programmes with works by Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich), the order “For Services to the Fatherland” of all four degrees, the Order of St Vladimir, the Order of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh of the First Degree, the Silver Cross of Merit of the Republic of Austria, the Order of the Cross of Honour of the First Degree for services to the Republic of Austria Culture, and the Gold Medal of the International Gustav Mahler Society. 

In March 2013, in Prague, the conductor received the Trebbia European Award for creative activities. In 2016, the conductor became an owner of the honorable title “Honoured Music Art Worker” and the prize of the Union State in the field of literature and arts. In 2017, the Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, awarded the maestro with the mark of distinction “For Services to Moscow” for his outstanding contribution to the development of Russian culture and music. In January 2018, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia presented to Vladimir Fedoseyev the order of Daniel of Moscow first degree.