Only slightly breaking from the tradition of referring to myself in the 3rd person, I will say that my musical goal has been to attempt to synthesize the values of different sonic traditions and styles. What could Heifetz, Hindustani, and Historically Informed Practice have in common? 2018 saw my debut album release with pianist Constantine Finehouse (Spice Classics label), which was met with universally positive reviews. In November 2021, I made world-premiere recordings of the music of Lera Auerbach and Richard Beaudoin (Orchid Classics). Recent concert seasons have included performances at Merkin Hall (NYC) BargeMusic (NYC), The Roerich Museum (NYC), Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Harvard Musical Association, Harvard ArtLab, and tours of Japan. I was also invited to Sion, Switzerland for the Violins of Hope project and had the honor of performing on an instrument rescued from the Auschwitz Concentration Camp.
Formulating new approaches to learning the craft is equally at the heart of my activities. I founded the Boston Violin Intensive, a 10-day intense training for violinists, and run a YouTube channel with more than 45,000 subscribers, making in-depth violin masterclass videos. Additionally, I do workshops and masterclasses around the world. My music and writing are featured regularly in The Strad magazine, and was voted “Best of The Strad 2021”. Additionally, I recently began collaborating with Tonebase.
In 2022, the Kurganov-Finehouse duo will release a unique recording of the complete Brahms Violin Sonatas, pairing a 1706 Guarneri violin with original 19th-c pianos in partnership with Reuning & Son Violins and the Frederick Piano Collection.
I was born in Minsk, Belarus and grew up in Chicago. My musical life began with the piano at age 6, then the guitar, and then the violin at the ripe age of 16. I completed my studies at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) under Rudolf Koelman, protégé of Jascha Heifetz. I am also an alumnus of the Keshet Eilon International Mastercourse.
“They play with extraordinary fervor, commitment, and technical prowess, and it would be hard to beat these exceptionally well-engineered world-premiere recordings.” —ClassicsToday (2021)
"The extremely close recording captures every last sound as bow contacts string or left-hand shifts position…it adds a vivid immediacy to Kurganov’s already searing performance.” —The Strad Magazine (2022)
“Ingratiatingly idiomatic violinistic personality" —Fanfare Magazine
“…with contagious, dramatic musicality they bring the program together beautifully…the expression remains elegant and unsentimental.” —Klassisk Magazine, Copenhagen (2021)
“Kurganov gives a tour de force performance, superbly impassioned.” —ArtsFuse Journal (2018
"...a top-notch CD...an outstanding performance of Messiaen's Thème et variations" —The WholeNote (2021)
"Kurganov's violin empowered with penetrating colors and expert phrase shapes..." —The Boston Musical Intelligencer (2018)
"The duo’s fine musicianship was on display throughout, channeling pathos and joy using the full possibilities of their instruments." —The Boston Musical Intelligencer (2021)
The Violins of Hope are a collection of restored instruments that survived the Holocaust. Each tells its own story. I had the incredible honor of performing on them in Sion Switzerland with Maestros Shlomo Mintz and Rudolf Koelman.
They are now now on display and can be heard live in Cleveland, Ohio
My YouTube channel is my hub for my own recording projects, my collection of rare recordings and videos of inspiring classical artists, and the recently started Violin Masterclass video series. Join the already millions of viewers.
