Artistes

Viktoria MULLOVA, Violoniste

To hear Mullova play Bach is, simply, one of the greatest things you can experience. - The Guardian

She plays with intimacy sweetness and eloquence, often adding unsuspected, yet convincing emotional shades to phrases. - Classic FM Magazine

Mullova may be the most elegant, refined and sweetly expressive violinist on the planet. - Chicago Tribune

Viktoria Mullova a fait ses études à l’Ecole de musique centrale de Moscou et au Conservatoire de Moscou. Son extraordinaire talent attire l’attention du monde entier lorsqu’elle remporte le premier prix du Concours Sibelius d’Helsinki en 1980 et la Médaille d’or du Concours Tchaïkovski en 1982. Depuis lors, elle joue avec les plus grands orchestres et chefs d’orchestre et dans les festivals internationaux les plus réputés.

Viktoria est aussi reconnue mondialement pour sa polyvalence exceptionnelle et son intégrité musicale. Son insatiable curiosité l’amène à découvrir toutes les époques, allant du baroque au classique, en passant par les influences les plus contemporaines comme la musique expérimentale. Cet intérêt pour une approche authentique de la musique l’amène à collaborer avec des ensembles sur instruments d’époque aussi prestigieux que the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Il Giardino Armonico, Venice Baroque ou encore l’Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique.

Sa première incursion dans la création musicale date de l’année 2000 avec son album Through the Looking Glass qui mêle musique du monde, jazz et musique pop. Cette exploration se poursuit avec son deuxième album The Peasant Girl, en écho à ses racines ukrainiennes. Son projet le plus récent, Stradivarius in Rio, est inspiré par sa prédilection pour la musique brésilienne.

Parmi les temps forts récents citons une tournée de récitals dans les grandes villes chinoises et japonaises (Tokyo et Yokohama) ainsi que des concerts avec l’Orchestre National de France, le BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, le Seattle Symphony Orchestra, le Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, le London Philharmonic, le Philharmonia Orchestra, l’Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, le Hallé Orchestra ou encore le Gewandhausorchester Leipzig ; sous la direction de chefs tels que Sir Mark Elder, Thomas Dausgaard, Kent Nagano, Ludovic Morlot, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Giovanni Antonini, Markus Poschner, Pascal Rophé et Paavo Järvi.

La saison 19-20 voit Viktoria collaborer avec le Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, l’Auckland Philharmonic, l’Orchestre National de France, le Sofia Philharmonic, le Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, l’Orquesta de Valencia, l’Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, ainsi qu’en tournée avec l’Academy of Ancient Music dans les concerti de Bach et Haydn et une tournée avec l’Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire. Ses projets de musique de chambre incluent ‘Music we Love’, un duo avec son fils Misha Mullov-Abbado, contrebassiste, dans un répertoire éclectiques incluant des compositions originales de Misha, des arrangements de chansons brésiliennes et hébraïques et des œuvres de Bach, Schumann et Prokofiev. Elle forme également un duo avec le pianiste et pianofortiste écossais Alasdair Beatson, dans un programme Beethoven sur cordes en boyaux et pianoforte.

Sa riche discographie, sous les labels Philips Classic et Onyx Classics, a remporté de nombreuses récompenses prestigieuses. Son dernier enregistrement consacré à Prokofiev, paru en août 2015 a été unanimement salué par la critique.

Viktoria joue son Stradivarius ‘Jules Falk’ de 1723 et un Guadagnini.

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Viktoria Mullova studied at the Central Music School of Moscow and the Moscow Conservatoire. Her extraordinary talent captured international attention when she won first prize at the 1980 Sibelius Competition in Helsinki and the Gold Medal at the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1982 which was followed, in 1983, by her dramatic and much publicized defection to the West. She has since appeared with most of the world’s greatest orchestras and conductors and at the major international festivals. She is now known the world over as a violinist of exceptional versatility and musical integrity. Her curiosity spans the breadth of musical development from baroque and classical right up to the most contemporary influences from the world of fusion and experimental music.

Her interest in the authentic approach has led to collaborations with period instrument bands such as the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Il Giardino Armonico, Venice Baroque and Orchestre Révolutionaire et Romantique. Viktoria has a great affinity with Bach and his work makes up a large part of her recording catalogue. Her interpretations of Bach have been acclaimed worldwide and led Tim Ashley to write, “To hear Mullova play Bach is, simply, one of the greatest things you can experience…” in the Guardian. Her recent disc of Bach Concerti with the Accademia Bizantina and Ottavio Dantone has been highly praised and her recording of Bach’s solo sonatas and partitas represents a significant milestone in Viktoria’s personal journey into this music. The recording received 5-star reviews from all over the world and she has embarked on an international several season-long, series of solo Bach recitals.

Her ventures into creative contemporary music started in 2000 with her album “Through the Looking Glass” in which she played world, jazz and pop music arranged for her by Matthew Barley. This exploration continued with her second album ‘The Peasant Girl’ which she has toured around the world with the Matthew Barley ensemble. This project shows a different side to Viktoria as she looks to her peasant roots in the Ukraine and explores the influence of gypsy music on the classical and jazz genres in the 20th Century. Her most recent project, “Stradivarius in Rio” is inspired by her love of Brazilian songs by composers such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Caetano Veloso and Claudio Nucci. A CD of the same name has been enthusiastically received and she is now presenting the project in concerts throughout Europe. As well as her own projects, she has also commissioned works from young composers such as Fraser Trainer, Thomas Larcher and Dai Fujikura. This rich musical diversity has been celebrated in several high-profile residences, including London’s Southbank, Vienna’s Konzerthaus, the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, Musikfest Bremen, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Music Festival.

This season, Viktoria performs Classical and Romantic repertoire with several major orchestras and conductors. Highlights include performances with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Auckland Philharmonic; Orchestra National de France and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and a tour with the Academy of Ancient Music playing Bach and Haydn concerti. Her chamber music projects include ‘Music we Love’; a duo with Misha Mullov-Abbado, double bass, featuring his original compositions, arrangements of Brazilian and Hebrew songs and works by Schumann and Bach and duo with Alasdair Beatson, playing Beethoven recitals on gut strings and fortepiano.

Mullova’s extensive discography for Philips Classics and Onyx Classics has attracted many prestigious awards. Her recording of the Vivaldi Concertos with Il Giardino Armonico and directed by Giovanni Antonini, won the Diapason D’Or of the Year award for 2005 and her recording featuring Beethoven’s Op.12, No.3 and Kreutzer Sonatas with Kristian Bezuidenhout won immense critical acclaim. Other discs have included the Schubert Octet with the Mullova Ensemble, “Recital” with Katia Labèque, Bach Sonatas with Ottavio Dantone and “6 Solo Sonatas and Partitas” by JS Bach. September 2018 saw the release of her new CD of the complete works for violin & orchestra by Arvo Pärt with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Paavo Järvi for the Onyx label.

Viktoria either plays on her ‘Jules Falk’ 1723 Stradivarius or a Guadagnini violin.