The Pharos Arts Foundation presents the legendary violin virtuoso Maxim Vengerov in a unique Cyprus appearance, performing alongside the distinguished Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of its Founder and Music Director, Marios Papadopoulos.
Universally hailed as one of the world’s finest musicians, and often described as the finest living violinist, Vengerov has forged an extraordinary career spanning decades, prestigious awards, including a Grammy – an extensive and illustrious discography, and long collaborations with the world’s foremost orchestras and conductors.
Established in 1998 under the artistic vision of its Founder and Music Director Marios Papadopoulos, the Oxford Philharmonic has become one of the UK’s leading orchestras, with enduring collaborations with some of the world’s greatest artists – including Maxim Vengerov, who became the Orchestra’s first ever artist-in-residence in 2013 and has remained a close collaborator ever since.
The concert, on Saturday 27 September 2025, at the Strovolos Municipal Theatre / 8:30pm, offers audiences in Cyprus a rare opportunity to hear Vengerov and the Oxford Philharmonic together in a compelling all-Tchaikovsky programme – featuring the composer’s celebrated Violin Concerto and his turbulent and intensely personal ‘Fate’ Symphony No.4.
PROGRAMME:
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Violin Concerto in D major, Op.35 (1878)
Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op.36 ‘Fate’ (1878)
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MAXIM VENGEROV violin
Maxim Vengerov is universally hailed as one of the world’s finest musicians, and often referred to as the greatest living string player in the world today. He began his career as a solo violinist at the age of five, won the Wieniawski and Carl Flesch international competitions at ages 10 and 15 respectively, made his first recording at the age of 10, and went on to record for high-profile labels including Melodia, Teldec, Deutsche Gramophone and Warner, earning among others, Grammy and Gramophone Artist of the Year awards.
In 2007, he followed in the footsteps of his mentor, the late Mstislav Rostropovich, and Daniel Barenboim, and turned his attention to conducting. In 2010, was appointed the first chief conductor of the Gstaad Festival Orchestra. He has conducted the Munich Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Montreal and Toronto Symphony Orchestra, RTE Dublin and Orchestre National de France amongst others. In 2020, Maxim Vengerov became Classic FM’s first solo artist- in-residence and released a new recording of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with conductor Myung-Whun Chung and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, coupled with works by Saint-Säens and Ravel as well as a live recital from his Carnegie Hall concert in 2018.
Recent highlights include Maxim Vengerov opening the season of the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala with Riccardo Chailly, a residency with Monte Carlo Philharmonic and the Philharmonie in Paris, a sold-out Royal Albert Hall concert performing both Brahms Violin concerto and Brahms Double Concerto, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Orchestra della Scala and Zubin Mehta, the opening night of the China Shanghai International Arts Festival with Christoph Eschenbach, and Sibelius with the Wiener Symphoniker at the Musikverein in Vienna.
His extensive recital tours always take centre stage in his career – this season at London’s Barbican Centre, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, Paris’s Salle Gaveau, Rome’s Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Barcelona’s Palau de la Musica, Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, Chicago’s Symphony Center, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Ann Arbor’s Hill Auditorium, Bogota’s Teatro Major, the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Sydney’s Opera House, Taipei’s National Concert Hall and Seoul’s Lotte Concert Hall.
Vengerov returns in the second season of his three-year Carnegie Hall Perspectives series, which includes over 12 concerts, starting with all Mozart concertos and accumulating with all Beethoven Sonatas in 2027, and partnering up with renowned musicians such as Evgeny Kissin, Yefim Bronfman and Martha Argerich.
One of Vengerov’s greatest passions is the teaching and encouraging of young talent, hence he has held various teaching positions around the world, including the Mozarteum University Salzburg and the Royal Academy and College of Music in London. In 2018, Maxim Vengerov became the Goodwill Ambassador of the Musica Mundi School. With the aim of making musical support generally accessible, he initiated his own online teaching platform in 2021: www.maximvengerov.com
Maxim Vengerov has received numerous awards including Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance and a World Economic Forum Crystal award in 2007, honouring artists who have used their art to improve the state of the world, as well as the Ordre du Chevallier from the Palace in Monte Carlo where he resides.
He plays the ex-Kreutzer Stradivari (1727) amongst others.
OXFORD PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Since 1998, the Oxford Philharmonic has brought inspirational performances to Oxford and beyond. The Orchestra prides itself on creating unique musical experiences, bringing new and engaging interpretations to well-loved works in the classical repertoire. Its continual search for excellence is underpinned by the uncompromising standards of its Founder and Music Director, Marios Papadopoulos, who, alongside some of Europe’s finest instrumental musicians, has shaped the Orchestra’s distinctive sound. The Oxford Philharmonic works regularly with some of the world’s greatest artists, including Maxim Vengerov, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Martha Argerich, Sir András Schiff, Evgeny Kissin and Sir Bryn Terfel.
Violinist Maxim Vengerov became the Oxford Philharmonic’s first ever artist-in-residence in 2013 for an unprecedented four seasons. Since then, Vengerov has performed with the Orchestra across the UK and recorded the violin concertos of Brahms and Sibelius, as well as leading an ensemble of OPO Principals in a recording of Mendelssohn’s Octet.
In addition to its annual concert season in Oxford, performances across the UK, family concerts and annual Piano Festival and Chamber Music Series, the Oxford Philharmonic is in growing demand internationally. It appeared at the Tivoli Festival in Copenhagen in 2019 and, in 2022, made its critically acclaimed US debut at Carnegie Hall. The Orchestra returned to Carnegie Hall in 2025, and will appear again in 2027 to perform Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
In 2023, the Orchestra celebrated its 25th anniversary with a gala concert at the Barbican, in which Maxim Vengerov played Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. Other engagements during the Orchestra’s Silver Jubilee year included six concerts at Dubai Opera and a tour of Germany and Austria, where the Orchestra made its debut at Vienna’s Musikverein and at Munich’s Isarphilharmonie, with soloist Martha Argerich. During the season, the Orchestra embarked on its first major tour of Japan, performing nine sold-out concerts across four cities, including Tokyo.
Since its founding, the Oxford Philharmonic has been firmly committed to outreach work, with projects taking music to areas of social and economic disadvantage, hospitals, special educational needs schools, and partnerships with Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council. In December 2021, the Orchestra’s sub-principal violin Jamie Hutchinson was awarded the prestigious Salomon Prize, a joint prize between the Royal Philharmonic Society and Association of British Orchestras, in recognition of the educational initiatives she spearheaded with the Orchestra during the pandemic.
The Oxford Philharmonic was appointed Orchestra in Residence at the University of Oxford in 2002, the first relationship of its kind between a symphony orchestra and a higher education institution. The Oxford Philharmonic Academy Programme offers tuition and performance opportunities to University students, including the Side-by-Side scheme, which provides an opportunity for young musicians to perform within the ranks of a professional orchestra.
The Oxford Philharmonic has appeared on several recordings including albums of cello concertos by Shostakovich and Solo Cello Mats Lidström on BIS Records, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy; A Merton Christmas with the Choir of Merton College; Haydn’s The Creation with the Choir of New College; the Handel/Mendelssohn Acis and Galatea with Christ Church Cathedral Choir; and works by Nimrod Borenstein for Chandos. The Orchestra’s latest CD, The Enlightened Trumpet with soloist Paul Merkelo, was released on Sony Classical. The Orchestra signed a recording contract with the label Platoon and recorded a selection of Mozart’s symphonies in 2023.
The Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra and its Music Director were awarded the City of Oxford’s Certificate of Honour in 2013, in recognition of their contribution to education and performance in Oxford.
INFORMATION: Pharos Arts Foundation www.pharosartsfoundation.org
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Tickets: €25 / €45 / €65
