Kagan Oleg Moiseyevich (1946-1990)

Kagan Oleg Moiseyevich (22.11.1946, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk — 15.07.1990, Munich) — violinist, teacher. Honoured Artist of Russia. From 1953, studied in Riga at the E. Darziņš Music School (class of I. Braun); from 1959 — at the Moscow Central Music School (class of B. Kuznetsov); from 1965 — at the Moscow Conservatoire and postgraduate programme (class of D. Oistrakh). Laureate of international competitions: G. Enescu (Bucharest, 1964, 4th place); J. Sibelius (Helsinki, 1965, 1st place); P. Tchaikovsky (Moscow, 1966, 2nd place); J.S. Bach (Leipzig, 1968, 1st place). Critics called K. “Mozart on the contemporary stage.” A magnificent interpreter of Bach and Mozart. His repertoire also included A. Schnittke, S. Gubaidulina, V. Mansuryan, E. Denisov and others. He performed in ensemble with many musicians, including his wife, cellist N. Gutman, and with S. Richter. After K.'s death, a music festival named after O. Kagan was held for 10 years in Kreuth (Germany) with the participation of S. Richter, M. Rostropovich, M. Argerich, E. Virsaladze, A. Lyubimov and others. From 2000, an annual music festival “Dedication to Oleg Kagan” is held in Moscow. Director A. Khrzhanovsky made the film “Oleg Kagan. Life after Life.”