INTENSIVE 2019
KUROFUNE
"Kurganov's violin empowered with penetrating colors and expert phrase shapes..."
--The Boston Musical Intelligencer (2017)
Russian-American Violinist Daniel Kurganov has emerged as a unique musical voice synthesizing values of different artistic eras. He has already garnered praise from such musical giants as Sergej Krylov, Ivry Gitlis and Rudolf Koelman, as well as from publications in the United States, Europe and Japan. 2018 saw a new album release with pianist Constantine Finehouse on the Spice Classics label. The disc, featuring masterworks of Brahms, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky and others, was met with positive reviews. Fanfare Magazine lauded Kurganov's "smoldering intensity" and "ingratiatingly idiomatic violinistic personality. Kurganov's and Finehouse's recital brings together a wide variety of styles, rendered with an effervescence and panache that earn it its recommendation." ArtsFuse journal wrote "Kurganov gives a tour de force performance, superbly impassioned." Some highlights of recent seasons include solo appearances with the New Hampshire Philharmonic and Canterbury Strings, performances at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, recital tours throughout Boston and Chicago, and multiple concert tours of Japan with his chamber group "Kurofune Ensemble" and with the Boston Chamber Orchestra. In Sion, Switzerland, Kurganov was invited by Shlomo Mintz and Rudolf Koelman to take part in "The Violins of Hope" project, where he had the honor of performing on a violin rescued from Auschwitz. In Boston, Kurganov performs as a member of the Essex Chamber Players. Born in Minsk, Belarus, Kurganov grew up near Chicago and began his musical studies on the piano. He completed his studies at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) under Rudolf Koelman, protégé of the legendary Jascha Heifetz, and additionally received vital private instruction from Ilya Kaler and Desiree Ruhstrat. Kurganov is an alumnus of the Keshet Eilon International Mastercourse.
Sharing knowledge and ideas with students and young people has been at the forefront of Daniel's activities. In addition to holding a private class of students, Daniel has worked with the Boston Philharmonic outreach program, bringing music performance and education to underserved communities, and has led a workshop on improvisation in the classical idiom with talented musicians in Japan. Daniel is also the creator of ARCO: a suite of innovative digital tools for violinists and violin teachers designed to enhance the way they practice, learn, teach and access resources. Daniel curates a YouTube channel with over 6+ million viewers and frequently writes on the topic of musical performance. Recently, he has published a manual for advancing left-hand technique as well as a cadenza for the violin concerto by Johannes Brahms.
Born in Minsk, Belarus, Kurganov grew up near Chicago and began his musical studies on the piano. He completed his studies at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) under Rudolf Koelman, protégé of the legendary Jascha Heifetz, and additionally received vital private instruction from Ilya Kaler, Desiree Ruhstrat, Alexander Belavsky and Alla Danichkina. Kurganov is an alumnus of the Keshet Eilon International Master- course. He performs on a violin made by Andrew Ryan.
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Violins of Hope
The Violins of Hope are a collection of restored instruments that survived the Holocaust. Each tells its own story. I had the incredible honor of performing on them in Sion Switzerland with Maestros Shlomo Mintz and Rudolf Koelman.
They are now now on display and can be heard live in Cleveland, Ohio
For many years, I have collected rare recordings and videos of inspiring classical artists. My youtube channel is a curated presentation of the best of this material.
Join the already millions discovering these gems.
Photography is my biggest passion outside of music. In both photography and music, there is the idea of a 'decisive moment' as coined by the great H. Cartier-Bresson, where there is no past and no future - only the perfection and immediacy of 'now'.