“With his communicative, colorful and technically near-miraculous playing, and an individual sound recognizable for its seductive richness, he is the nearest thing the violin has today to a household name.”—The Sunday Times
Two acclaimed instrumentalists are making highly anticipated UGA Presents debuts Friday, Nov. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Hodgson Concert Hall. Grammy Award-winning violinist Maxim Vengerov enjoys international status as one of the world’s most in-demand soloists. Pianist Polina Osetinskaya began her career at age 5 in the former Soviet Union and quickly rose from wunderkind to respected global concert artist. Together, the duo brings artistry and skill to a program of music by Prokofiev, Franck, and Ravel.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
MAXIM VENGEROV
Universally hailed as one of the world’s finest musicians, Maxim Vengerov is often referred to as the greatest living string player in the world today.
Born in 1974, he began his career as a solo violinist at the age of 5, won the Wieniawski and Carl Flesch international competitions at ages 10 and 15 respectively, studied with Galina Tourchaninova and Zakhar Bron, made his first recording at the age of 10, and went on to record for high-profile labels including Melodia, Teldec, Deutsche Gramophon, and Warner, earning Grammy and Gramophone artist of the year awards.
In 2007 he followed in the footsteps of his mentor, the late Mstislav Rostropovich, and Daniel Barenboim, and turned his attention to conducting and in 2010 was appointed the first chief conductor of the Gstaad Festival Orchestra. He has conducted the Munich Phiharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Montreal and Toronto Symphony Orchestra, RTE Dublin, and Orchestre National de France, amongst others.
Recent highlights include Mr. Vengerov opening the season of the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala with Maestro Chailly, a residence with Monte Carlo Philharmonic, and extensive recital tours throughout the world. Mr Vengerov also celebrated 40 years onstage with a sold-out Royal Albert Hall concert performing both Brahms’s violin concerto and Double Concerto.
For his 50th Birthday celebrations, highlights of the coming season will be the start of a three-year Perspective at Carnegie Hall with over 12 concerts, starting with all Mozart concertos this November and accumulating with all Beethoven Sonatas in 2027. Orchestras he will perform with during his Perspective include the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Maestro Chung, Budapest Festival Orchestra and Ivan Fischer, and the London Symphony Orchestra with Antonio Pappano. His Perspective will also see him perform with various famous chamber music partners, including Evgeny Kissin and Martha Argerich.
Mr. Vengerov has received numerous awards including a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance and a World Economic Forum Crystal award in 2007, honoring artists who have used their art to improve the state of the world, as well as the Ordre du Chevallier from the Palace in Monte Carlo, where he resides.
He plays the ex-Kreutzer Stradivari (1727).
POLINA OSETINSKAYA
Internationally acclaimed pianist Polina Osetinskaya began her career at the age of 5 and was soon acclaimed as a wunderkind in the former Soviet Union. She gave her first concert at the age of 6 and entered the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory at 7.
Ms. Osetinskaya has performed at Vienna’s Musikverein, London’s Barbican Centre, Rome’s Teatro Argentina, as well as in Italy, Germany, Poland, the USA, Russia, and Israel. Ms. Osetinskaya has appeared with musicAeterna, the Mariinsky Orchestra, the Evgeny Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra, and Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.
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 Melodiya labels. In the 2024/2025 concert season, Polina makes her debuts in Australia, Singapore, and Brazil and comes back to the United States with a recital tour along with a tour with her colleague Maxim Vengerov. She also has a series of her debuts with new recitals at festivals and at Konzerthaus in Austria, takes part in a big project dedicated to all five Prokofiev concertos in Germany in Theater Altenburg Gera, and plays concerts in Italy, Belgium, and Germany.
PROGRAM
PROKOFIEV: Five Melodies, Op. 35
PROKOFIEV: Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94bis
CÉSAR FRANCK: Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano
RAVEL: Tzigane
SUPPORTED BY
John A. Maltese
Brad and Vera Tucker
Dr. Janice Simon
BUYING TICKETS IS EASY
Securing tickets for UGA Presents performances couldn’t be easier. There are three ways to choose from:
- Purchase tickets online 24/7 here.
- Call the Performing Arts Center Box Office at (706) 542-4400, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
- Visit the UGA Performing Arts Center Box Office, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (5 minute parking is available in the drop off circle at the Performing Arts Center for purchasing or picking up tickets.)
(Photo: Fadi Kheir)