Denis Leonidovich Matsuev is known to almost everyone who is interested in the Blue Bird competition for young talents, since the man is a permanent member of the jury of this competition. Moreover, he is not only a famous person, but also a prominent public figure, who is a member of the Memory of Generations Charitable Foundation, New Names and a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
Matsuev is a virtuoso pianist, whom all people of the world know; he performs alone and accompanied by the world's best orchestras. In 2015, Denis Leonidovich took an honorable thirty-sixth place in the ranking of the best pianists in the world.
Using his authority, the man tries to do everything to instill a musical taste in the younger generation, as well as to raise interest in classical music.
Height, weight, age. How old is Denis Matsuev
Almost all the girls are captivated by the politeness and incredible charisma of the pianist, so they rush to clarify his physical parameters, including height, weight, age. How old Denis Matsuev is is not difficult to find out, since his date of birth has been known for a long time.
Denis was born in 1975, so he is already forty-two years old. The zodiac circle gave him the sign of the dreamy, creative, thoughtful and charismatic Gemini, and the Eastern horoscope was able to give him the character traits characteristic of the Rabbit, namely, tenderness, smiling, and thriftiness.
Matsuev’s height is a record meter and ninety-eight centimeters, and the guy weighs no more than eighty-five kilograms.
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Biography of Denis Matsuev
The biography of Denis Matsuev began from the moment of his birth in the city of Irkutsk, while the boy’s parents had a direct relationship to the world of music. At the same time, Deniska studied at a music school and an art school, he played the piano masterfully.
Matsuev studied at the eleventh secondary school in Irkutsk, but the excellent student always knew that he would become a pianist. The boy had a perfect ear for music, so at the age of four he could tell which notes were present in the roar of an airplane engine, the singing of birds and the sound of raindrops.
The young man entered the Central Music School at the famous Moscow Conservatory, and since 1991 he received a scholarship from the New Names Foundation and gave many concerts in most countries of the world. Three years later, the guy graduated from school and entered the Moscow Conservatory, and then became the leading soloist of the capital's Philharmonic.
Denis has constantly become the winner and laureate of numerous world-class competitions, and currently the man gives solo concerts and records classical albums.
Since mid-2000, the guy has been constantly touring with the orchestras of Chicago, Pittsburgh, Leipzig, Capitol, and the Air Force. By the way, at the Moscow Philharmonic it is possible to purchase a subscription that allows you to attend all the concerts of the meter in the capital.
Matsuev is actively involved in social activities, he is surprisingly devoted to his hometown, since he opened a hall for 60 spectators in Irkutsk, calling it simply “Denis Matsuev’s House of Music.”
It was often said that Denis Matsuev and Maria Maksakova were dating, but the musician claimed that this information related to banal gossip. The fact is that Maria was in love with a talented handsome man for a long time, but only Maksakova and her famous mother talk about the ephemeral relationship.
Carier start
While studying at the Moscow Conservatory, Denis began participating in various competitions. He first performed at a competition for young geniuses organized by the New Names Public Charitable Foundation. This performance became the first step in Matsuev’s successful musical career.
Over time, the virtuoso pianist was able to demonstrate his talent not only in Russia, but also in France and England. His concerts were held with great success in more than forty countries around the world.
The musician values his first victory most of all. In 1998 he took part in the XI International Competition named after. Tchaikovsky and showed excellent results, becoming the winner of this significant competition. His virtuoso playing captivated many, and Matsuev’s name sounded throughout the world.
Typically, competitors at events of this scale use a dry, academic style of performance. But the young musician’s concert style of playing captivated the jury and audience. It was a real success.
The personal annual subscription “Soloist Denis Matsuev” was presented to the public in 2004. The most famous musical groups worked with the talented pianist.
Among them, it is worth especially noting the orchestra led by V. Spivakov, as well as musicians representing the Berlin Philharmonic. In addition, the musician collaborated with the most venerable conductors of our time.
Personal life of Denis Matsuev
The personal life of Denis Matsuev is kept in the strictest confidence, since the guy does not want his affairs to lead to the breakup of his family. However, news constantly appears in the press that Matsuev, during his studies at the Central Music School at the capital’s conservatory, met with Maria Maksakova. Her mother talked for a long time about how she would really like to see the pianist as her future son-in-law, but the relationship quickly faded away, and the man really doesn’t like to remember them.
By the way, there were persistent rumors on the Internet that Matsuev was a person with a non-traditional sexual orientation, which he made fun of for a long time. The fact is that Denis is faithful to his wife, so he does not react in any way to young fans who make eyes at him at concerts and festivals.
In revenge, the girls spread rumors that Matsuev is indifferent to the fair sex. It is worth noting that another gossip concerns the fact that Denis Matsuev and Ekaterina Shipulina broke up. The fact is that the guys part for a short time only when they go on different tours, however, they managed to become happy parents and save the family.
Study in Moscow
In 1991, Denis and his parents came to Moscow. It was a terrible time, right after the coup. The guy didn’t want to leave his native Irkutsk, his friends and his favorite neighborhood football team. But his parents bribed him, saying that in Moscow he would be able to go to large stadiums and watch the matches of his beloved Spartak with his own eyes.
Grandma Vera Albertovna helped again. Once upon a time, she, a physicist by education and profession, quit her job and devoted herself to raising her grandson, studying music with little Denis. Now she sold a cooperative apartment in Irkutsk, gave sixteen thousand dollars, and with this money the Matsuev family rented housing in Moscow.
In the capital, Denis began studying at the Central Music School at the Moscow State Conservatory. A year later, he became the winner of an international competition organized by the New Names charitable public foundation. In addition to being awarded a foundation scholarship, Matsuev took part in classical music concerts in many European countries. He toured the capitals and major cities of the Netherlands, Austria, France and Great Britain, performed before NATO Secretary General Manfred Werner, the British Queen, Pope John Paul II, and played six times before Russian President Boris Yeltsin.
In 1993, Denis entered the Moscow State Conservatory, and two years later became a soloist of the capital's Philharmonic.
Family of Denis Matsuev
Denis Matsuev’s family was creative, musical and incredibly friendly, everyone supported each other. When the parents realized that their son had talent, they immediately dropped everything and moved to the capital to give Matsuev a future and education.
Father - Leonid Matsuev - a famous composer, pianist, and also the person who created the music for most of the performances of Irkutsk theaters.
The mother also kept up with her husband, as she taught the family’s favorite musical instrument, the piano.
At the same time, Denis’s closest relatives were also famous, for example, his maternal grandfather Dmitry played percussion instruments in the orchestra of the State Circus of Irkutsk.
Grandmother Vera masterfully played several musical instruments, so she taught her little grandchildren the basics of playing them. By the way, Denis’s cousin Eleanor married the famous conductor Mikhail Yurovsky, her sons Vladimir and Dmitry became famous conductors, and her daughter Maria is a world-famous pianist.
Childhood and youth
Denis Leonidovich Matsuev was born on June 11, 1975 in Irkutsk, Siberia. The family of the great pianist has been associated with music for many generations. Matsuev’s grandfather worked as a performer in a circus orchestra, where he played drums and percussion. Leonid Viktorovich Matsuev, Denis's father, was a pianist and composer who composed music for theatrical productions in Irkutsk. Irina Dmitrievna Gomelskaya, the mother of the future celebrity, taught piano.
Since childhood, Denis’s parents developed a love of music, as well as piano playing skills. The first lessons to the future virtuoso were given by his grandmother, Vera Albertovna Rammul, who had the skills to play several musical instruments. In Irkutsk, Denis attended art school and studied at the 11th school named after Mayakovsky, the oldest educational institution in the city. The first piano teacher in Matsuev’s life was Lyubov Nikolaevna Sementsova.
Denis Matsuev in childhood
Musical talent did not prevent Denis from remaining a restless boy who spent his free time on the football field or ice skating rink. Matsuev seriously dreamed of a sports career, but devoted only 2 hours a day to music - he didn’t have enough patience. But even during this time, the boy managed to master the material that his peers had been learning for weeks. The young pianist was more dedicated to sports, although at one time he was considered the smallest in the class. No one imagined that in his youth the young man would turn into a giant 2 meters tall (Denis is now 198 cm tall and weighs 85 kg).
After graduating from school, the guy studied for some time at the Irkutsk Music College, but already at that time he felt the need to continue his studies in the capital.
Denis Matsuev with his parents in his youth
In an interview, Matsuev speaks with gratitude about his parents, whom he considers the main reason for his success. Mom and father made sacrifices for their son, moving from Irkutsk to Moscow, exchanging their established life for life in a one-room apartment - and all this in order to provide Denis with the opportunity to study with the best teachers in the country. Parents believed that education should become an integral part of Denis's life. Thus, the boy became available opportunities that other children did not have.
Children of Denis Matsuev
The children of Denis Matsuev still exist in small numbers, since apart from his beloved daughter Anya, no children were born. By the way, the baby is the long-awaited late child of the couple, since her father was forty-one at the time of her birth, and her mother was thirty-seven. The man did not admit for a long time that he was Anya’s father.
By the way, Ekaterina Shipulina clarified that she can give birth to more than one child, since her own mother Lyudmila became an example for her, who managed to give birth to two talented children and quickly returned to the stage of the Bolshoi Theater.
For a long time, parents hid the gender and face of their beloved child from others, so rumors began to appear on the Internet that the baby was born with developmental disabilities. Denis and Ekaterina did not comment on these rumors in any way, and they never posted a photograph of the baby, because they did not want to dance to the tune of the public.
By the way, Matsuev also considers all the kids in whose creative and musical development he took an active part to be his children. He especially loves and supports young pianists who shone in the Blue Bird talent show, including five-year-old Elisey Mysin, whom Matsuev accepted into his own music school.
Daughter of Denis Matsuev - Anna
Denis Matsuev’s daughter, Anna, is a late child, as she was born in 2020. Denis first spoke about his beloved baby only a year later on the “Evening Urgant” program, but refused to show her photographs.
Her father sees Anna quite rarely, since he is constantly on tour, and her mother and grandmother take care of the baby. Of course, the musician tested his little daughter to see if she had an ear for music; since childhood, he played only classical lullabies for her.
He noticed that Anechka rejoices when she hears Stravinsky, and begins to cry when she hears Liszt’s second concerto.
Personal life
His main hobby now is his personal life.
Contrary to his own statement that he could only have music as his wife and jazz as his mistress, Matsuev still married an ordinary woman. If you can call the prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater Ekaterina Shipulina that way. The wedding was non-public, in a narrow family circle.
The pianist resisted this event for a long time: for 10 years he and Catherine were an exemplary stable civil couple. Obviously, the long-standing arguments about the inappropriateness of marriage were “defeated” by daughter Anna when she decided to be born. This happened on October 31, 2020, so it is likely that the child is already playing music like dad or dancing like mom.
It is known that in her infancy Anna Denisovna preferred Rachmaninov (“Petrushka”) to Liszt.
Denis is busy 30 hours a day, refuting the popular belief that there are only 24 of them. With such workload and publicity, it is impossible to have a secret life. And since there are no secrets, then there are no gossip or rumors either. Especially now that he has his own home and family.
Denis Matsuev's wife - Ekaterina Shipulina
Denis Matsuev’s wife, Shipulina Ekaterina, is known as a world-famous ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater. She met her chosen one back in 2005, after which the guys never separated.
It is worth noting that Ekaterina and Denis got together not only because of their common musical interests, but also because of their passion for football matches, and especially in which their favorite football club, Moscow Spartak, takes part.
The girl, like her chosen one, loves visiting the Sovremennik Theater, as well as relaxing on Lake Baikal. At the same time, Ekaterina constantly accompanies Denis on his tours, so she has already traveled all over the world, supporting her husband.
By the way, the guys never quarrel, and Denis calls the secret of this phenomenon the ability to let off steam on time. To do this, Matsuev periodically goes into the forest and screams to his heart's content in order to reduce emotional stress. The most interesting thing is that the man has a mistress and she is jazz.
News
Denis Leonidovich Matsuev is a world-famous Russian pianist, laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation, People's Artist of Russia, participant in international festivals and concerts. Now he is one of the most sought-after and popular pianists in the whole world. It is noteworthy that competitions for young musicians played a decisive role in his fate. His rapid ascent began after winning the 1998 International Competition. P.I. Tchaikovsky in Moscow. The musician organizes many music festivals, such as “Stars on Baikal”, has been the artistic director of the Crescendo Music Festival since 2005, and is also the president of the “New Names” foundation, of which he was once a student. His example inspires many young musicians around the world; the editors of UNPRESS could not help but discuss the upcoming “Nutcracker” competition for young performers with Denis Matsuev.
— Do you know about the Nutcracker competition?
— Of course, I am very familiar with this event, as I was a member of the jury at one of the first competitions. Now, due to lack of time, unfortunately, I am not directly connected with this competition, but I try, nevertheless, to follow everything that is happening. I know what kind of guys play there, because almost all of them are scholarship recipients of our New Names foundation.
— Are scholarship holders and participants of different musical events somehow separated in the cultural environment?
“It’s nice to know that the laureates and prize-winners of the Nutcracker competition are the guys whom we remember and love from the times when they participated in our events. In fact, we do not make any division between organizations: the Vladimir Spivakov International Charitable Foundation, the Nutcracker music competition, the Yuri Bashmet International Charitable Foundation, the Interregional Charitable Public Foundation “New Names” - all this is one big creative family.
— What benefits does participation in such competitions give to young musicians?
“It is thanks to events such as “The Nutcracker” and the other festivals I have listed that a creative team is created, whose participants have the opportunity to go on the big stage and receive an objective assessment from a highly qualified jury.
— What role, in your opinion, does open judging of contestants play?
— Open judging is one of the very important advantages: the audience understands who the competition is being held absolutely honestly, and it is truly the most successful young musicians who advance. The guys themselves receive a healthy portion of constructive criticism; by listening to the advice of famous musicians, they will be able to develop in the right direction and improve.
— On stage, the guys are greatly influenced by the words of the members of the panel of judges, but what happens behind the scenes?
“Such competitions light little sparks in the hearts of children, the timid flame of which is sometimes influenced by mothers, fathers, teachers, who believe that the appearance in front of the camera has made the child’s career successful, but they forget that it is important to choose teaching methods based not only on his abilities, but also age capabilities. That is why it is so important not to “drive” a little musician, not to give him Rachmaninov’s Third Concerto at the age of 11.
— What, in this case, must be remembered by those who are close to the young participant?
— The most important thing is that a child must remain a child, even if he is very talented and gifted. He should have time for some other hobbies: football, dancing, and so on. If there is a need to kick a ball in the yard, let him frolic for an hour; there is no need to prematurely fill his time exclusively with classes and work. After all, performing for a musician is not only pleasure, but also colossal work.
— Of course, it is even more difficult for an artist going on stage to cope with anxiety. How do you do this?
— Since childhood, my parents taught me to go on stage as if it were a holiday and not to be afraid of anything. I remembered and have been doing exactly that ever since. Even if something doesn’t work out, you should never despair! When I first decided to participate in the Tchaikovsky competition, I arrived in Moscow 1 day after the qualifying casting. You can't imagine how upset I was. Walking down the street, I thought that the world had collapsed, but then everything, as you know, turned out extremely well. Therefore, young musicians must remember that they need to remain calm and treat what is happening with irony, even in the most critical situations.
- For example?
— During one of my performances, in Paris, a piano fell right during the performance. The farthest of its three legs suddenly gave way and the instrument collapsed. And a second later, the fastening on my bench was torn off... But I, as if nothing had happened, continued to play. Simply put, you just need to go on stage and create a holiday for yourself and the audience. Not using these methods, of course (laughs).
— What prospects open up for the participants of “The Nutcracker”?
— Teachers and organizers of the competition should place special emphasis on the correct and harmonious development of young talents, because the competition creates a completely new generation of Russian performing school. I am talking specifically about the Russian school, because, despite the fact that this competition is international, the majority of participants still come from the regions of Russia. From the experience of participating as a jury of such competitions, I can say that at present the generation of 11-13 year old musicians is a real asset, the guys, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in my opinion, are superior to many modern popular performers, this generation will still be we have competition! That is why under no circumstances should one interfere with the systematic development of their skills.
— Is there a formula for success? How much does a musician need to practice to achieve results?
— I know that many teachers sit their students down at an instrument for 5-6 hours, completely forgetting that what is important is not the amount of time spent practicing, but its quality. Achieving some results does not come after some hour-long threshold, when twelve-year-old kids say: “I play for 10 hours.” Not at all, this is just a stage in life, a new horizon that has opened, which sooner or later will come to a purposeful person living his musical dream.
— Let’s be objective: today young people are not particularly interested in classical music. How can we attract our generation to fugues and polonaises?
— In fact, classical music and classical art have never been a mass hobby. I don’t like the word “elite” (laughs), but the classics are of interest to mostly well-read, educated, cultured people. And since I see quite a lot of young people at my concerts and meetings, I can say that the younger generation is still interested in this area of culture. To be honest, it’s incredibly nice to see young faces in the auditorium - I feel that they are interested in this, that they also care about the art that we, adult musicians, and the children participating in “The Nutcracker” create hand in hand.
— What would you like to wish to the young participants of the competition?
— First of all, don’t be afraid of anything. A series of successes and defeats is your life path that you need to go through in order to achieve success. Be sure to work on your talent, take care of it, and then all your creative plans will definitely come true. Good luck!
Elena Flegontova UNPRESS, tvkultura.ru
Other topic materials>>
music, musician, classical music, Denis Matsuev, “Nutcracker” competition
Photo of Denis Matsuev before and after plastic surgery
Photos of Denis Matsuev before and after plastic surgery often appear on the Internet, usually in commercials for plastic surgery clinics. Many admirers of the talent of the virtuoso composer and pianist want to know whether such a charismatic appearance was given to him by nature or is it the result of plastic surgery.
Denis Leonidovich claims that he has never had plastic surgery; he believes that appearance depends on what nature and the genetics of the parents put into a person. At the same time, Matsuev goes in for sports, but simply rejects all diets, because he believes that violence against his own body will not lead to anything good.
Instagram and Wikipedia Denis Matsuev
The pianist officially has Instagram and Wikipedia for Denis Matsuev, but he often says that he has absolutely no time to communicate with fans on social networks. At the same time, he only occasionally posts his photos and videos on Instagram, but over many years the man has posted only one and a half thousand posts. Matsuev’s profile on this social network is subscribed to by no less than 82,500 people, who can comment and rate posts.
From the Wikipedia article, which is dedicated to the virtuoso pianist, you can learn about his childhood, education, social and creative activities, hobbies, family and discography, as well as awards.
