Daniel Kurganov
Daniel Kurganov | |
|---|---|
Kurganov (right), with Pinchas Zukerman | |
| Background information | |
| Born | November 29, 1986 Minsk, Soviet Union (now Belarus) |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupations | Violinist, music educator |
| Instrument | Violin |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | Spice Classics, Orchid Classics, Hänssler Classics |
| Website | www |
Daniel Kurganov (born November 29, 1986) is a Belarussian-American concert violinist and music educator. He began formal violin training at the age of 16.[1] He has performed across the United States, Europe, and Japan, recorded several albums with pianist Constantine Finehouse, and maintains a YouTube channel with over 80,000 subscribers.[2]
Early life and education
Kurganov was born in Minsk, then part of the Soviet Union (now Belarus), to a Jewish family, and immigrated to the United States with his family as a toddler, settling near Chicago.[3] Initially studying piano as a child, he later switched to guitar in his early teens before commencing violin studies at age 16 under Alla Danichkina.[4][1] He joined his high school orchestra and studied with violinists Ilya Kaler and Olga Kaler in Chicago.[5]
He pursued further education at the Zurich University of the Arts in Switzerland, studying under Rudolf Koelman, a protégé of Jascha Heifetz.[3] Kurganov also received instruction from Desirée Ruhstrat and Alexander Belavsky and is an alumnus of the Keshet Eilon International Mastercourse in Israel.[6]
Career
Performing
Kurganov performs as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral guest artist in venues across the United States, Europe, and Japan. He is a founding member of the Kurganov–Finehouse Duo, specializing in Romantic-era sonatas, and the Aegis Piano Trio.[7][8] He has toured Japan with the Kurofune Ensemble, which he founded to blend classical and modern Japanese arts.[9][10]
He collaborated with composer Stephanie Ann Boyd, performing her work "Aurora" during a tour with Finehouse in 2022.[11][7] In 2011, He was invited to participate in the Violins of Hope project in Sion, Switzerland, where he performed on a violin rescued from the Auschwitz concentration camp.[12] Other notable appearances include concerts at Merkin Hall,[7] Bargemusic,[13] the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Harvard Musical Association.
Teaching
Kurganov founded the Boston Violin Intensive in 2018.[14] He has conducted masterclasses at institutions including the Boston Conservatory,[15] the University of Maryland,[16] and Musikhochschule Münster.[17] Kurganov maintains a YouTube channel with instructional videos.[2]
He regularly contributes articles to publications such as The Strad, where he was voted Best of The Strad 2021,[18][19] and the Boston Musical Intelligencer.[20] He has partnered with the music education platform Tonebase and served as a Featured Artist-Teacher from 2022-2025, producing educational content with Pinchas Zukerman, Seymour Bernstein, Marc-André Hamelin and Ron Carter.[21]
Musical style
Music critic Jed Distler, reviewing Kurganov's Brahms recording, notes: "Kurganov employs vibrato judiciously, and on occasion sneaks in just a hint of upward portamento à la Kreisler or Elman when reiterating a motive."[22]
Discography
| Title | Year | Collaborator(s) | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between the Notes | 2018 | Constantine Finehouse | Spice Classics | Includes works by Brahms, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, and a Gershwin arrangement by Heifetz[23] |
| Rhythm and the Borrowed Past | 2021 | Constantine Finehouse | Orchid Classics | Features pieces by Lera Auerbach, Richard Beaudoin, Messiaen, and Cage[24] |
| Brahms Violin Sonatas | 2023 | Constantine Finehouse | Hänssler Classics | Brahms's three violin sonatas, recorded on a 1706 Guarneri violin;[25] rated 10/10 by Classics Today[22] |
References
- ^ a b "Daniel Kurganov: on starting the violin at age 16". The Strad. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ a b Daniel Kurganov, Violinist's channel on YouTube
- ^ a b "Meet Daniel Kurganov". Boston Voyager. September 11, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Prone to Violins – Daniel Kurganov". Prone to Violins. November 30, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Daniel Kurganov – About the Musicians". The Frederick Collection. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ Frederick, Collection. "About the Musicians: Daniel Kurganov". Retrieved September 6, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Tuesday Matinees: Daniel Kurganov, violin & Constantine Finehouse, piano". Kaufman Music Center. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Aegis Trio – Music for Troubled Times". Amherst College. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Music, Dance, and Canvas Collide". Boston Musical Intelligencer. September 18, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Daniel Kurganov- Partnering Lab". The Partnering Lab. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Daniel Kurganov and Constantine Finehouse take Aurora on Massachusetts tour". Stephanie Ann Boyd. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Andrzej Cieplinski". YIVO. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Masterworks Series: Homage to a Golden Age". Bargemusic. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Boston Violin Intensive". kurganov.org. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Artistry in Action: String Masters Series—Daniel Kurganov, Violin and Constantine Finehouse, Piano". Boston Conservatory at Berklee. October 23, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Masterful Strings: Daniel Kurganov, violin". University of Maryland. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Tonebase Violin Festival 2024". Musikhochschule Münster. October 18, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Best of The Strad 2021". The Strad. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Masterclass: Brahms Violin Sonata No. 2, first movement". The Strad. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Author: Daniel Kurganov". Boston Musical Intelligencer. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Daniel Kurganov". Tonebase. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ a b "Fresh and Communicative Brahms on Historic Instruments". Classics Today. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "Classical CD Review: Between the Notes – Music for Violin and Piano". The Arts Fuse. July 6, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "ORC100182 – Daniel Kurganov". Orchid Classics. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ "The Brahms Age". Hänssler. Retrieved March 16, 2025.