Nikolai Sachenko (; born 1977) is a Russian

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

ist. He was awarded the top prize at the

International Tchaikovsky Competition The International Tchaikovsky Competition is a classical music competition held every four years in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia, for pianists, violinists, and cellists between 16 and 32 years of age and singers between 19 and 32 years of ...

in 1998. Since 2008 he has been a member of the

Brahms Trio The Brahms Trio is one of the leading chamber ensembles of Russia, a piano trio that unites violinist Nikolai Sachenko – winner of the Golden Medal of the XI International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, cellist Kirill Rodin – winner of the ...

, with pianist Natalia Rubinstein and cellist Kirill Rodin. In 2022 he joined the Borodin Quartet as first violinist.

Biography

Sachenko was born in 1977 in Alma Ata, the capital of the

Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, also known as Soviet Kazakhstan, the Kazakh SSR, KSSR, or simply Kazakhstan, was one of the transcontinental country, transcontinental Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Un ...

(now

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

). When he was six years old, he began studying violin at a music school in

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (, ) is a city and the administrative center of Kamchatka Krai, Russia. It is located in the Far East of the country and lies along the coast of Avacha Bay by the Pacific Ocean, nearby Khalaktyrskoye Lake. As of the 202 ...

. He moved to

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

in 1987 to study at the

Moscow Conservatory The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory () is a higher musical educational institution located in Moscow, Russia. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in musical performance and musical research. Th ...

, where he was sponsored by the and trained with professors such as . In 1995, Sachenko participated in the 3rd International Violin Competition Leopold Mozart, where he finished in 4th place and won the Audience Prize. At the age of 21, he was named the top violinist at the 11th

in 1998, playing a violin made by the 18th-century French luthier . Russia dominated the competition that year: in addition to Sachenko, the pianist Denis Matsuev and the cellist were awarded the top prizes in their respective categories. Sachenko embarked on an international concert tour after winning the competition. In 2005 he became the

concertmaster The concertmaster (from the German language, German ''Konzertmeister''), first chair (U.S.) or leader (UK) is the principal first violin player in an orchestra (clarinet or oboe in a concert band). After the Conducting, conductor, the concertma ...

of the , conducted by

Yuri Bashmet Yuri Abramovich Bashmet (born 24 January 1953) is a Russian conductor, violinist, and violist. Biography Yuri Bashmet was born on 24 January 1953 in Rostov-on-Don in the family of Abram Borisovich Bashmet and Maya Zinovyeva Bashmet (née Kri ...

. The following year, he became a soloist with the . Sachenko has been a member of the

since 2008, performing with the pianist Natalia Rubinstein and the cellist Kirill Rodin. The trio's focus is on infrequently-performed

piano trio A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in European classical music, classical chamber music. The term can also ...

s by Russian composers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His performances as part of the Brahms Trio have received critical praise. Tully Potter, writing for '' Musical Opinion'', commented that Sachenko's "focused playing is an unfailing pleasure", and David Morrison of ''

Fanfare A fanfare (or fanfarade or flourish) is a short musical flourish which is typically played by trumpets (including fanfare trumpets), French horns or other brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion. It is a "brief improvised introdu ...

'' described his playing as "eloquently expressive and impassioned". In 2017 he was named a Merited Artist of the Russian Federation. In September 2022 he joined the Borodin Quartet as new first violinist following the retirement of Ruben Aharonian. As of 2021, Sachenko plays a violin made by the Italian luthier

Francesco Rugeri Francesco Rugeri ( – 28 October 1698), also known as Ruger, Rugier, Rugeri, Ruggeri, Ruggieri, Ruggerius, was the first of an important family of luthiers, the Casa Rugeri in Cremona, Italy. His instruments are masterfully constructed. His viol ...

in 1697 that belongs to Russia's State Collection of Unique Musical Instruments. He has cited the violinists

Yehudi Menuhin Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin (22 April 191612 March 1999), was an American-born British violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in Britain. He is widely considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. ...

and

Isaac Stern Isaac Stern (July 21, 1920 – September 22, 2001) was an American violinist. Born in Ukraine, Stern moved to the United States when he was 14 months old. Stern performed both nationally and internationally, notably touring the Soviet Union a ...

and the cellist

Mstislav Rostropovich Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was well known for both inspiring and commissioning new works, which enl ...

among his influences.

References

External links

Violin Concerto (Tchaikovsky)
Excerpt from Sachenko's performance at the

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sachenko, Nikolai 1977 births 20th-century Russian classical violinists 21st-century Russian classical violinists 20th-century Russian male musicians 21st-century Russian male musicians Concertmasters Honored Artists of the Russian Federation Living people Russian male classical violinists Moscow Conservatory alumni Musicians from Almaty Prize-winners of the International Tchaikovsky Competition