Award-winning Ukrainian-British violist and conductor Maxim Rysanov has established himself as one of the world’s most vibrant and charismatic musicians. As a violist, he is principally known as a frequent guest of the crème of the international music scene, such as BBC Last Night of the Proms and the Edinburgh, Salzburg and Verbier Festivals. He now combines viola performance with a thriving career as a conductor.
As a soloist, Rysanov has collaborated with leading orchestras including Mariinsky Orchestra, Russian National Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Moscow Philharmonic, Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, NDR Philharmonic Orchestra and Danish National Symphony Orchestra. He has worked with such renowned conductors as Valery Gergiev, Mikhail Pletnev, Jiří Bělohlávek, Sir Mark Elder, Andrey Boreyko and Vasily Petrenko. His recent viola engagements include Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Spanish National Orchestra and Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Also a keen chamber musician, Rysanov’s chamber partners include Maxim Vengerov, Janine Jansen, Mischa Maisky, Gidon Kremer, Nicola Benedetti, Vadim Repin, Augustin Dumay, Viktoria Mullova, Alexander Sitkovetsky, Sol Gabetta, Leif Ove Andsnes, Denis Matsuev, Alessio Bax, Michael Collins, Martin Fröst and Alexei Ogrintchouk.
Rysanov’s enthusiasm for new music generates many exciting collaborations which extend the viola repertoire, including the world premières of works by Dobrinka Tabakova, Richard Dubugnon and Valentin Bibik. Last season he premiered Pēteris Vasks’ Viola Concerto, co-commissioned by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Vale of Glamorgan Festival and Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg. Further performances of this piece include Turku Philharmonic, Riga Sinfonietta, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn and Tallinn Chamber Orchestra.
Rysanov’s recordings have gained numerous award nominations including Gramophone’s Editor’s Choice, ECHO KLASSIK, International Classical Music Awards and the Grammy Awards. In June 2017, his CD featuring music by and inspired by Schubert was released on Onyx, and it was listed as Classic FM’s Best New Recordings, KDFC Album of the Week and KUSC Album of the Week. Rysanov is a recipient of various awards, including Gramophone’s “Young Artist of the Year Award” and the BBC Radio 3 New Generation Award. He is also a prizewinner at the Geneva, Lionel Tertis and Valentino Bucchi Competitions.
Originally from the Ukraine and currently based in London, Rysanov studied viola with Maria Sitkovskaya in Moscow and John Glickman at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He studied conducting with Alan Hazeldine at the Guildhall, and has taken part in several masterclasses with Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Jorma Panula and Oleg Caetani.
Rysanov plays on a Giuseppe Guadagnini (1780) on extended loan from the Elise Mathilde Foundation.
