Born in 1989 in St Petersburg, Eugene Ugorski is being hailed as one of the most exciting young violinists of today.
Having made his orchestral debut with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra at the age of eight, Ugorski has already performed concerti with orchestras in Western Europe, Russia, Canada, the USA, South America and the Far East, working with conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Andrey Boreyko, Eri Klas, Keith Lockhart and Roberto Minczuk.
Eugene Ugorski was launched onto the international scene following an invitation from Gergiev to perform at the Moscow Easter Festival in 2005. The concert was an enormous success and was broadcast around the world. As a result Gergiev immediately invited him to perform with the Rotterdam Philharmonic that season.
In the 2007/8 season Ugorski returned to Rotterdam to perform in four special concerts celebrating the New Year. Other highlights of the season included debuts with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He also made a trip to South Korea for his debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.
Highlights of the 2008/9 season included two concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, a performance of Paganini Violin Concerto No.1 with the Houston Symphony Orchestra under Hans Graf and his Japanese debut with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony playing Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole. European appearances included his debut with the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra and a tour of the Netherlands with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vassily Petrenko playing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto.
In the 2009/10 season, Ugorski will make his debuts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, DSO Berlin, Tampere Philharmonic, Malmö Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, RTÉ Dublin and with the Vienna Kammerphilharmonie at the Vienna Konzerthaus.
As a recitalist Ugorski has recently collaborated with the pianist Konstantin Lifschitz at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival in Germany to great acclaim, and in September 2009 the paid played four concerts at the Enescu Festival in Romania. Future engagements include debuts at the Wigmore Hall in London and at the Beethovenfest in Bonn.
Eugene Ugorski began studying the violin at the age of six with Professor Vesna Gruppman. He continues to study with Vesna as well as with Igor Gruppman, one of the world’s most respected concertmasters.
Eugene Ugorski is represented by Intermusica.
November 2009 / 373 words. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Dublin with Roberto Minczuk / Barber Violin Concerto
“A beautifully controlled performance by Eugene Ugorski […]
Ugorski gave a finely-balanced account of this romantically-inclined work, keeping the music sweet but not sentimental, and the general restraint of his manner, happily, was matched by Minczuk.[…] he showed spunk aplenty in the right way in the wild, skittering dance of the finale.”
Irish Times, January 2010
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with Kirill Karabits / Paganini Violin Concerto no. 1
“Paganini’s fiendishly difficult Violin Concerto No.1 was performed with disarming artistry by the 20 year old, the hugely talented Eugene Ugorski.
The demand for flying staccato, double stopping and all manner of ‘impossible’ tricks were brilliantly accomplished. And it’s not just showmanship, for Ugorski had time for the tunes, which in the finale had a certain cheeky impudence to go with the double harmonics.”
Daily Echo, January 2010
Dortmund Phihharmonic Orchestra with Jac van Steen / Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
“The 19 year old violinist Eugene Ugorski is one of those talented young musicians who want to become one of the best in the world – and who may well do so. He performed Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto in D major Op.35 with great dedication. Ugorski shaped this standard of the violin repertoire with precision, lightness of touch, a delicate tone and great feeling for the melody. Right from the beginning of the first movement’s beautiful theme, he won his way into the hearts of the audience with his lyrical mellifluousness. He made his instrument sing in the poetic canzonetta, and showed his secure virtuosity in the hurrying, tempestuous finale, where van Steen allowed him free reign, but also blended beautifully into the ensemble in the orchestral sections.
And at the end of the concert, instead of the usual encore, Ugorsky had prepared a special treat for us: the soloist joined the brass soloists in Stravinsky’s Pastorale – a splendid idea, which was enthusiastically applauded by the audience.”
Westdeutsche Rundfunk, January 2009
“Eugene Ugorski is one of the up and coming young talents who truly astonishes his audiences … He amazed the audience at this fourth Philharmonic concert in the Dortmund Konzerthaus with his fabulous technique, and the assurance with which he played Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto.
This shy young Russian from Rotterdam isn’t a self-important show-off. He played the showpiece for which he has become known with gentleness and sensitivity. He slowly cherished every note in the first movement; his slender tone floated up to the clouds in the Canzonetta; and the finale rang out with tamed wildness. When the young violinist, who is already being compared to the young David Oistrach, gains greater strength and the courage to portray more emotions, then Eugene Ugorsky will be one of the big boys.”
Ruhr Nachrichten, January 2009
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with Vassily Petrenko / Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
"Petrenko skillfully lead this flexible ensemble in Tchaikovsky's Violin concerto. He was careful not to trample the nineteen year old soloist Eugene Ugorski underfoot with his chamber music allure. This remarkable talent performed wonderfully with some sublime moments. His tone has not a very big volume, but offered very fine nuances. Unaminously the two young talents and the historic orchestra steamed up to the final of the concerto."
October 2008
Los-Angeles Philharmonic with Hannu Lintu / Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
“Throughout the Concerto, Ugorski commanded a freshness of tone and unforced yet masterly virtuosity. This is no mere prodigy, but already a consummate artist of the very first order.”
Truman C. Wang, Classical Voice, September 2008
Noord Nederlands Orkest with Jacques Mercier / Beethoven Violin Concerto
"The young violinist Eugene Ugorski is already being compared with the legendary violinist Oistrach.
In a perfect collaboration, the Noord Nederlands Orkest and Ugorski performed Beethoven’s violin concerto in D major. Eugene Ugorski combines an amazing virtuosity with a lyrical, almost tender way of playing. Maybe, in a few years time when he is world star, we will be able to say proudly that we have already heard him here first …”
Meppeler Courant, April 2007
Vancouver Symphony with Eri Klass / Sibelius Violin Concerto
“Delivering a breathlessly exciting cadenza in the opening Allegro moderato movement, Ugorski displayed confidently intense musicianship and assured technique, effortlessly going from height to height.”
J H Stape, Review Vancouver, January 2007
Boston Symphony Orchestra with Keith Lockhart / Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
“…people were saying that it was as if he were channeling the great Russian violinist, David Oistrakh, but the point was how original and fresh Ugorski's approach is… he also already has a mind and a heart.”
Richard Dyer, Boston Globe, 2004
San Diego Symphony with Matthew Garbutt / Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
"The Russian-born phenomenon was able to do what the greatest performers are known for-connecting his heart with the listener's. Eugene Ugorski did not merely play notes, but used the violin to communicate feelings of sadness, joy, drama and curiosity. With each stroke of his bow, he enabled his listeners to connect with his emotions. Soon, it was evident that the concert ceased to be about just listening to music, but feeling and experiencing the music."
San Diego Union Tribune, August 2002
“This evening Ugorski conquered the Moscow audience not only with incredible technical mastery but with profound understanding of Tchaikovsky’s music.”
InterMedia, Moscow
These are featured projects related to Eugene Ugorski:
Highlights
EUGENE UGORSKI
HIGHLIGHTS
2009/10
London Philharmonic Orchestra / Danail Rachev
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Tampere Philharmonic / Maxim Vengerov
Mozart Violin Concerto No.4, K.218
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Kirill Karabits
Paganini Violin Concerto No.1
RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland / Roberto Minczuk
Barber Violin Concerto
Vienna Kammerphilharmonie / Claudius Traunfellner
Beethoven Violin Concerto
Malmö...
BBC Music Rising Star & new DVD release
BBC Music Magazine Rising Star
New DVD release
RISING STAR - GREAT ARTISTS OF TOMORROW
BBC Music Magazine, January 2010
Interview by Rebecca Franks
Since performing with conductor Valery Gergiev, the 20-year-old Russian-American's career has been on a high.
Violinist Eugene Ugorski isn’t afraid of a challenge. At the age of eight, just two years after first picking up a violin, he made his...