Biography

Since his triumph in 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, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapella Dresden, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, 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” Orchestra of London, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, Orchestra of Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Vienna Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Oslo Symphony, National Orchestra of Belgium, Swiss Romande Orchestra, 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 gives recitals in the USA in Boston, Washington, and New York at Carnegie Hall (Keyboard Virtuosos series), in London at Royal Festival Hall (International Piano series), Madrid at Auditorio Nacional de Musica, Amsterdam at Concertgebouw (Master Pianists series), and Moscow (Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory).

Denis Matsuev regularly appears with the most distinguished conductors on stage today, including Valery Gergiev, Yuri Temirkanov, Mariss Jansons, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Chailly, Christian Thielemann, Kurt Masur, Lorin Maazel, 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, K. Jarvi and others.

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

For 11 consecutive years, Denis Matsuev has his original series at The Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory “Denis Matsuev invites…” Many famous orchestras, prominent conductors, and outstanding soloists have taken part.

In 2010, in Avery Fisher Hall, the New York Philharmonic gave the orchestra’s 15,000th concert—Denis Matsuev was a leading soloist, conducted by Valery Gergiev, and highly praised by music critics.

For many years, Denis Matsuev has led numerous musical festivals and educational projects. Since 2004, he has organized “Stars on Baikal” in Irkutsk, and since 2005, he has been the artistic director of Crescendo Festival. In 2010, he became artistic director of Annecy Music Festival in France. In 2012, he became artistic director of I International “Astana Piano Passion” Festival and Competition and in 2013 of International Festival and Competition “Sberbank DEBUT” in Kiev. In 2016, he launched the Grand Piano Competition in Moscow. He is also president of the charitable Russian foundation “New Names”, which supports talented children in music.

In 2007, RCA Red Seal released “Unknown Rachmaninoff” featuring Matsuev. His Carnegie Hall recital was released in 2009 as “Denis Matsuev – Concert at Carnegie Hall”.

Mariinsky Label releases include Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 3, Shostakovich Concertos No. 1 & 2, Schedrin’s Fifth with Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra. Gramophone praised his Tchaikovsky Concerti Nos. 1 & 2 recording as “thrilling” and “personal benchmark.”

Denis Matsuev is a laureate of the Shostakovich Prize, State Prize of Russian Federation, and People’s Artist of Russia. He is Honorary Professor of Moscow State University, member of The Presidential Council for Culture and Arts, and head of The Public Council under The Ministry of Culture of Russia.

In 2014, he performed at the XXII Winter Olympic Games Closing Ceremony in Sochi and became UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

As FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Ambassador, he organized a unique concert with Valery Gergiev, Anna Netrebko, Placido Domingo at Red Square.

This season, he performs with New York Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Mariinsky Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, London Symphony, Chicago Symphony, La Scala Orchestra, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Vienna Symphony, London Philharmonia, Montreal Symphony, and the Orchestra of Teatro di San Carlo.

He gives recitals at Carnegie Hall, Victoria Hall Geneva, Vienna Konzerthaus, Pergola Theatre Florence, G. Verdi Conservatory Turin, Tonhalle Zurich, Tonhalle Dusseldorf, Berlin Philharmonie, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Tivoli Copenhagen, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Smetana Hall Prague, Gasteig Munich, Santa Cecilia Rome, Conservatorio di Musica “Giuseppe Verdi” Milan, Flagey Brussels, and tours with Staatskapelle Dresden.

To celebrate Rachmaninoff’s 145th anniversary, he performs complete piano concerto cycles worldwide. He also participates in festivals such as Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Verbier Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Lucerne Festival, Montreux Festival, Stresa Festival, and Bucharest Music Festival.