Vengerov & Osetinskaya

“When I touch the instrument, everything is present. As if two magnets were connected: music and I.” These are the words of Maxim Vengerov, the world-renowned violin virtuoso. After twenty long years, this “magnetic” bonding of music with an outstanding performer will again appear on the podium in Bratislava, thanks to Viva Musica! festival. Maxim Vengerov, who made his onstage debut at the age of five, is today, after a fascinating artistic career at the peak of his creative powers, an inspiring musician and a legend of his art. Dozens of the highest awards punctuate his life story, with concerts in the world’s most prestigious venues, iconic recordings on major labels, and furthermore his achievements as a conductor and his teaching activities, nurturing young musical talents. For the Viva Musica! festival, Maxim Vengerov and the star pianist Polina Osetinskaya have prepared a concentrated dramaturgy of Beethoven, embodied in Violin Sonatas Nos. 1, 5, 8 and 10. While some of these compositions fall into the earlier period of the composer’s work, they already capture his characteristic musical language: his definitive turn from the universality of the musical forms of the past, and his vision of a new original artist composing works for “eternity”. Also innovative is Beethoven’s grasp of the equivalent sound partnership of two instruments. Given the outstanding performing skills of Maxim Vengerov and Polina Osetinskaya, this assuredly gives promise of an inimitable musical experience. “I am thrilled to be performing with Polina at the Viva Musica! festival, presenting a wonderful program consisting of four of Beethoven’s Sonatas. As some of the greatest works in the violin repertoire, Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas hold immense significance for me. They represent a journey of artistic exploration and emotional depth, with each sonata being a profound dialogue between the violin and piano. Performing Beethoven’s music is a continuous discovery for me. I am truly looking forward to returning to Bratislava after such a long time and can’t wait to share this music with the audience in this beautiful city,” said Maxim Vengerov. “Shortly after performing Beethoven and Scriabin with an orchestra in the wonderful city of Bratislava, I am returning to another venue with a new project – presenting Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas with my dear friend, Maxim Vengerov. This will be the first ever played concert of a cycle, and I am truly excited to be there with our listeners,” concludes Polina Osetinskaya.

Program

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)

Violin Sonata No. 1 in D, Op. 12, No.1
I. Allegro con brio
II. Tema con variazioni. Andante con moto
III. Rondo. Allegro

Violin Sonata No. 5 in F, Op. 24 (Spring)
I. Allegro
II. Adagio molto espressivo
III. Scherzo: Allegro molto
IV. Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo

* * * 
Violin Sonata No. 8 in G, Op. 30, No. 3
I. Allegro assai
II. Tempo di minuetto, ma molto moderato e grazioso
III. Allegro vivace

Violin Sonata No. 10 in G, Op. 96
I. Allegro moderato
II. Adagio espressivo
III. Scherzo: Allegro – Trio
IV. Poco allegretto

Performers

Maxim Vengerov / violin
Polina Osetinskaya / piano

Universally hailed as one of the world’s finest musicians and often referred to as the greatest living string player 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. He won the Wieniawski and Carl Flesch international competitions at ages 10 and 15, respectively. He studied with Galina Tourchaninova and Zakhar Bron and made his first recording at the age of 10. Vengerov went on to record extensively for high-profile labels including Melodia, Teldec, and EMI, earning Grammy and Gramophone Artist of the Year awards, among others. 

In 2007, following in the footsteps of his mentor, the late Mstislav Rostropovich, he turned his attention to conducting. In 2010, he was appointed the first chief conductor of the Gstaad Festival Orchestra. In June 2014, Vengerov graduated with a Diploma of Excellence from the Moscow Institute of Ippolitov-Ivanov under Professor Yuri Simonov, and subsequently completed a two-year program in opera conducting. Recent highlights include opening the season of the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala with Maestro Chailly, a residency with the Monte Carlo Philharmonic and the Philharmonie in Paris, and worldwide recital tours.

During the 2022-23 season, he embarked on an extensive recital tour in the US and Canada, including performances in Berkeley, Kansas City, New York, and Toronto, as well as an 11-concert tour in the UK. Other notable performances as a soloist include engagements in Montreal, Vienna, London, Paris, and Taiwan, and chamber music concerts with Evgeny Kissin and Stephen Isserlis at Carnegie Hall, and in Switzerland with Simon Trpceski and Stephen Isserlis. He also participated in festivals such as Aspen and Bravo! Vail in the United States during the summer, featuring recitals, masterclasses, and concerto performances with Fabio Luisi and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. In April 2023, he celebrated 40 years on stage at the Royal Albert Hall with a gala concert. In the 2023-24 season, Vengerov opened the Shanghai International Festival with Christoph Eschenbach, embarked on another world recital tour covering the US, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, and performed with orchestras in Vienna, Paris, and Milan, among others. 

In 2020, Maxim Vengerov became Classic FM’s first solo Artist in Residence and released a new recording of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with conductor Myung-Whun Chung and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, coupled with works by Saint-Saëns and Ravel, as well as a live recital from Carnegie Hall.

As a passionate educator, Vengerov holds various teaching positions globally. He is currently the Stephan and Viktoria Schmidheiny Professor at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, and since September 2016, the Polonsky Visiting Professor of Violin at the Royal College of Music in London. In 2018, he became the Goodwill Ambassador of the Musica Mundi School, supporting young talents. In January 2021, he launched his online platform, www.maximvengerov.com, impacting over 170 countries and reaching over 190 million people. His initiatives include partnerships with musical institutions worldwide, the Lottery Ticket program, a guest artist series inaugurated with Brett Yang from TwoSet Violin, and a global community group with initiatives such as the leading Mentoring program, rural musical communities initiative, and the Musical Pen Pals program for children.

Maxim Vengerov has been profiled in documentaries such as „Playing by Heart,“ recorded by Channel Four Television and screened at the Cannes Television Festival in 1999, and „Living the Dream,“ released worldwide and awarded the Gramophone Award for Best Documentary in 2008. He has received prestigious fellowships and honors from various institutions. In 2012, he was awarded an Honorary Visiting Fellowship at Trinity College, Oxford. In 2019, he received Honorary Doctorates from the Royal College of Music, London, and the Order of Cultural Merit from the Palace of Monte Carlo. Vengerov has received numerous awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (with Orchestra) in 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 in 2007, honoring artists who have used their art to improve the world. He plays the „ex-Kreutzer“ Stradivari violin (1727).

Internationally acclaimed pianist Polina Osetinskaya began her career at the age of five and was soon recognized as a wunderkind in the former Soviet Union. She gave her first concert at the age of six and entered the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory at the age of seven. Her first teacher was her father, Oleg Osetinsky. She then continued her studies at the Leningrad Conservatory with Marina Wolf and later at the Moscow Conservatory with Vera Gornostaeva. In the 2023/2024 season, Polina Osetinskaya made a number of solo debuts, including performances at the Berlin Philharmonic and in London, as well as at the Laeiszhalle in Bach’s concerts without a conductor. She also performed in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Israel, Cyprus, the USA, and South America. During her tours in both Americas, she returned to Carnegie Hall for a duo recital with Maxim Vengerov. Polina Osetinskaya has performed at Vienna’s Musikverein, London’s Barbican Centre, and Rome’s Teatro Argentina, as well as in various venues in Italy, Germany, Poland, the USA, Russia, and Israel. She has appeared with the musicAeterna, Mariinsky Orchestra, Evgeny Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Brno Philharmonic Orchestra, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, and National Chamber Orchestra of Moldova. Her onstage partners have included Teodor Currentzis, Laurent Petitgirard, Vladimir Spivakov, Andrey Boreyko, Dmitry Liss, and Yan Pascal Tortelier. Ms. Osetinskaya has released recordings with the Quartz, Naxos, Sony Music, Bel-Aire, and Melodia labels.

Photo © Davide Cerati

We reserve the right to change the programme and performers.