Nikolai Sachenko (russian: links=no, Николай Саченко; born 1977) is a Russian violinist. He was awarded the top prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition 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, 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 G ...

, 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 (now Kazakhstan). When he was six years old, he began studying violin at a music school in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. He moved to Moscow in 1987 to study at the Moscow Conservatory, 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 International Tchaikovsky Competition 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 Denis Leonidovich Matsuev ( rus, Дени́с Леони́дович Мацу́ев /ma'tsujef/; born June 11, 1975) is a Russian classical pianist and occasional jazz performer. Biography Born in Irkutsk, Soviet Union, Matsuev is the only child o ...

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 of the , conducted by Yuri Bashmet. 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 trios 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, French horns or other brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion. It is a "brief improvised introduction to an instrumental perfo ...

'' 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 in 1697 that belongs to Russia's State Collection of Unique Musical Instruments. He has cited the violinists Yehudi Menuhin and Isaac Stern and the cellist

Mstislav Rostropovich Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian cellist and conductor. He is considered by many to be the greatest cellist of the 20th century. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was wel ...

among his influences.

References

External links

Violin Concerto (Tchaikovsky)
Excerpt from Sachenko's performance at the International Tchaikovsky Competition {{DEFAULTSORT:Sachenko, Nikolai 1977 births 20th-century classical violinists 21st-century classical violinists 20th-century Russian male musicians 21st-century Russian male musicians Concertmasters Honored Artists of the Russian Federation Living people Male classical violinists Moscow Conservatory alumni Musicians from Almaty Prize-winners of the International Tchaikovsky Competition Russian classical violinists