Julia Fischer & Kirill Troussov’s New Album, "Shostakovich & Prokofiev Violin Duos"

Released on Orchid Classics, the album features the long-collaborating duo perform rarely-heard 20th-century Russian chamber pieces

As part of Orchid Classics’ Live series, German violinist and pedagogue Kirill Troussov is exploring a wide range of violin repertoire. With more albums in the series to be released over several years, the recordings are released as streaming-only EPs. So far in the project, the previous releases have included Mendelssohn’s E minor Violin Concerto, Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy, and Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.

This new album with violinist Julia Fischer features Shostakovich’s Five pieces for two violins and piano, and Prokofiev’s Sonata for two violins. Exemplifying the possibilities of two violins in dialogue, the album is available to download and listen to, here.

Troussov performs on the 1702 “Brodsky” Stradivari violin — the very one on which Adolph Brodsky performed the world premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in 1881.

Born in 1982 in St. Petersburg, Troussov began violin lessons at age four at the Rimsky-Korsakov-Conservatory and made his public debut at age six. His mentors included Zakhar Bron, Christoph Poppen, Igor Oistrakh, and Yehudi Menuhin.

He gained worldwide recognition in 2009, following his live performance stepping in for Gidon Kremer, on Radio France with the Orchestre National de France and Daniele Gatti at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

Troussov has performed at the Tonhalle Zürich, Berliner Philharmonie, Concertgebouw, Palais des Beaux Arts Brüssel, Beijin’s NCPA, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, and Madrid’s Auditorio Nacional de Musica, and often gives masterclasses all over the world.

His chamber music collaborators have included Yuja Wang, Daniel Hope, Joshua Bell, Gautier und Renaud Capucon, Yuri Bashmet, Mischa Maisky, and Julia Fischer. Additionally, he performs as a duo with his sister, pianist Alexandra Troussova, with whom he has recorded highly acclaimed albums.

He has served as a jury member of the Schoenfeld International String Competition and Ysaÿe International Music Competition. Since 2021, he has held the position of chairman and artistic director of the Hong Kong International Young Musicians Competition and is also the artistic director of the Carl Flesch Academy.

His accolades include first prizes at the Yehudi Menuhin, Oleg Kagan, and the Wienawski violin competitions; the Davidoff-Prize at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival; Verbier Festival’s Reuters-Scholarship; and the Europäische Kulturpreis Pro-Europa award.