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The Russian-born cellist and a viola da gamba player, Sergei Istomin (Russian: Хохлов, or Истомин, Сергей Николаевич), started his violoncello studies at the age of 6 in the class of Vera Birina at the Gnessin’s School for gifted children in Moscow, Russia, where he obtained his Bachelor of Music degree. He completed his Masterof Music degree at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory where he studied with Valentin Feighin. He continued his post-graduate studies in viola da gamba with Catharina Meints Caldwell at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute (BPI) in Oberlin, Ohio, USA, where he also had the rare privilege to work with August Wenzinger. In 2018, he received his Doctor of Arts (Music) degree at Ghent University, Belgium. The title of his doctoral thesis title was «Variations on a Rococo theme, Op.33: Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Fitzenhagen: a creative collaboration. Moscow and Saint Petersburg violoncello schools in the light of European traditions: a historical and textological clarification».
Sergei Istomin is in demand throughout Europe and North America as soloist and chamber musician. His repertoire includes Baroque, classical, romantic and contemporary music on both period and modern instruments. He performs in solo and chamber music concerts with artists such as: forte-pianists Jos van Immerseel, Viviana Sofronitsky and Claire Chevallier. He regularly works with Anima Eterna Brugge Orchestra (violoncello solo), Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra (Director: Jeanne Lamon), Il Gardellino Ensemble (Director: Marcel Ponseele) and many other prominent European and North American groups and soloists (Vincenzo Casale, clarinet; Boyan Vodenicharov, fortepiano.) He has also performed at a wide range of festivals such as Aix-en-Provence, Alden Biesen, Beaune, Bachfest Leipzig, Klang&Raum Festival, MA Festival Brugge, Nantes, Oslo Chamber Music Festival, St. Riquier, Festival van Vlaanderen, Festival de Wallonie, Utrecht, Lockenhaus, Schleswig-Holstein and Sopron.
Sergei Istomin has been appointed to the position of research associate at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts and the Royal Conservatory which together constitute the School of Arts of University College Ghent, Belgium (KASK - Koninklijk Conservatorium, Hogeschool Gent | Lid van de Associatie Universiteit Gent.)
Sergei Istomin has recorded for: Analekta, Canada, (Virtuoso Solos for Viola da Gamba, Best Instrumental CD for the year 2003 by the Globe and Mail, Canada; J.S. Bach;s Cello Suites (BWV 1007-1012), Best Instrumental CD for the year 1997); Music and Arts Programs of America (Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach with Colin Tilney, harpsichord); Zig-Zag Territoires, France (Franz Liszt with Jos van Immerseel, Erard pianoforte); Passacaille Records, Belgium, (Frédéric Chopin's Complete Works for Cello And Fortepiano, Felix Mendelssohn's Complete Works for Cello and Fortepiano with Viviana Sofronitsky). Recently he recorded for the Passacaille Records, Belgium the Haydn’s Cello Concertos with Apollo Ensemble. He has also recorded for CBC (Canada), Sony Classical, Centaur Records, Music and Arts Programs of America (USA);. His performances have been broadcast across Europe, North and South America, Australia, New-Zealand and Japan.
From Russia Sergei Istomin moved to Canada and today he lives in Belgium, from where he continues his international career. |
