Semyon B. Skigin

Pianist, accompanist, author of original musical-artistic and vocal-poetic programs. Born in Lenin­grad. Graduated from Rimsky-Korsakov Lenin­grad State Conservatory and then finished a post­graduate course there. In 1975 he won the first prize of the International Accompanist 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. He 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 also been collaborating with S. Leiferkus. Among Skigin’s partners on the stage in different years were O. Boro­dina, V. Chernov, V. Urmana, N. Rautio, A. Schmidt, P. Schreier, O. Ber. Currently he performs with E. Semenchuk, D. Korchak, E. Crossley-Mercer, O. Peretyatko 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 at the leading conservatories in Ger­many, the Netherlands, the USA and Russia.