Semen B. Skigin

Pianist, accompanist, author of original musical-­artistic and vocal-poetry programs. Born in Le­nin­grad. Graduated from Rimsky-Korsakov Le­nin­­grad State Conservatory and postgraduate course there. In 1975 he was recognized as the best accompanist at the International Singing Competition in Rio de Janeiro, in 1978 he was invited to the post of professor of the accompaniment class at Dresden Conservatory, where he taught for three years. Since 1990—Professor at Hans Eisler School of Music Berlin. Has been working with singers for over 40 years. During the Soviet years he performed with such soloists as G. Kovaleva, M. Bieshu, G. Kareva. Since that time, the pianist has been collaborating with S. Leiferkus. Among Semyon Skigin’s partners on the stage in different years were O. Borodina, V. Chernov, V. Urman, N. Rautio, A. Schmidt, O. Ber. Currently she performs with E. Semenchuk, A. Shagimuratova, Y. Novikova, D. Korchak, E. Crossley-Mercer and other singers. The pianist’s extensive discography includes a complete collection of chamber vocal music by Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Rachmaninoff, as well as recordings of romances by Borodin, Dargomyzhsky, Gliere, works by Shostakovich, Verdi, Wagner. The musician regularly conducts master classes in the leading conservatories in Germany, the Netherlands, the USA and Russia.