Since his triumph at the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1998, Denis Matsuev has emerged not only as an exceptional virtuoso schooled in the grand Russian tradition who quickly established himself as one of the most commanding and nuanced pianists of his generation, but also as an influential public figure who has spearheaded major artistic, educational and charitable initiatives.
He regularly appears with many of the world's most prestigious orchestras: in the United States, the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; in Europe, the Berlin Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra; in Russia, where he performs with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Mariinsky Orchestra and Russian National Orchestra. He regularly collaborates with leading conductors, among them Valery Gergiev, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Chailly, Christian Thielemann, Leonard Slatkin, Iván Fischer and Manfred Honeck.
He has played recitals at New York’s Carnegie Hall, London’s Royal Festival Hall, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall and the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, where he is a fixture; he also frequents the festivals of Lucerne, BBC Proms, Edinburgh, Salzburg Easter, Ravinia and the Hollywood Bowl.
An exclusive RCA Red Seal artist, Matsuev has recorded works of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Syzmanowski and Shchedrin, many of them eliciting high praise.
He has served as the artistic director of the Annecy Music Festival in France, devising programs that brought together the rich musical cultures of Russia and France. Deeply committed to providing opportunities and support to emerging young artists, Matsuev has served as artistic director of Sberbank Debut and Crescendo — the latter a festival that enables young musicians at the beginning of their careers to perform in cities across Russia, France, Israel and the United States. He also has created the Grand Piano Competition for young Moscow-based pianists.
A UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Matsuev is the president of New Names, a charitable Russian foundation that identifies and fosters musically talented children, promoting music education across Russia. It has provided grants or opportunities for more than 10,000 children to perform in public.
