Born in Moscow in 1989, Mikhail Shekhtman (before 2019 Antonenko) is a conductor and pianist of exceptional versatility. A graduate of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory with honours, he honed his pianistic skills under the tutelage of Pavel Nersessian, and furthered his musical development through conducting masterclasses with luminaries such as Michail Jurowski and Teodor Currentzis. He studied organ in Russia and Austria.
As a concert pianist, Shekhtman plays on stages across Russia and Europe. Has appeared as a soloist with the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester under the baton of James Gaffigan, Leipzig’s Gewandhausorchester under Herbert Blomstedt, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. In the summer of 2019 he gave a recital at the Kissinger Sommer festival in Germany.
Shekhtman’s conducting debut in 2015, leading the State Chamber Orchestra of Russia at the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. He assisted such eminent conductors as Valery Gergiev, Daniele Gatti, Sir Antonio Pappano and Daniel Harding.
Has performed at the Moscow Conservatory, the St Petersburg Philharmonia, the Wiener Konzerthaus, the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Berliner Philharmonie, the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, the Melbourne Recital Centre, the Benaroya Hall in Seattle and the LOTTE Concert Hall in Seoul. He has also been a featured artist at renowned festivals such as the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, the Verbier Festival, the Lucerne Festival, the Russian National Orchestra’s Grand Festival and the December Nights of Sviatoslav Richter festival in Moscow.
Has collaborated with the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia (Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra), the Russian National Orchestra, the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, the Russian National Youth Symphony Orchestra and the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. His international collaborations extend to the Orquesta Nacional de España, the Bamberger Symphoniker and the Armonia Atenea in Athens. Under his leadership celebrated soloists such as Augustin Hadelich, Najmiddin Mavlyanov, Ildar Abdrazakov, Behzod Abduraimov, Ilya Gringolts, Maria Guleghina, Taras Shtonda, Olga Peretyatko, Aida Garifullina, Anna Netrebko, Vladislav Sulimsky and Antonina Vesenina have delivered performances.
A notable partnership in Shekhtman’s career has been with the soprano Julia Lezhneva, whom he has accompanied on piano in numerous recitals and concerts around the world since 2007. Their artistic collaboration culminated in the 2017 release of Lezhneva’s solo album on Decca, featuring arias by Carl Heinrich Graun, recorded with the Concerto Köln chamber orchestra under Shekhtman’s baton. This recording garnered widespread acclaim, being named “Disc of the Month” by Bayerischer Rundfunk, receiving five stars from the French magazine Diapason, and winning the OPUS KLASSIK 2018 award. Shekhtman’s conducting prowess was further showcased at the 2018 Stars of the White Nights festival, where he led the Mariinsky Orchestra in a Mozart programme with Lezhneva. Most recently, in November 2023, he conducted a concert of Baroque music at the Mariinsky Theatre.
Information for June 2024
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