Igor is one of the few clarinettists in the world to engage exclusively in solo activities. He was born to a family of musicians in Moscow in 1978. As a child he enrolled in the Gnessin School of Music in Moscow. In 2001 he graduated from the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music, and in 2003 he completed his postgraduate studies at the Academy (class of People's Artist of Russia, Professor Ivan Mozgovenko).
Igor Fedorov has won a number of international competitions, including the competition of clarinettists organized by the French company Buffet Crampon (1995, Kharkov, Ukraine) and TIJI (1997, Bratislava, Slovakia). He was awarded a special prize “The Best Ensembleist” at the Bashmet International Competition.
He trained at the masterсlasses with Julian Milkis (Canada), clarinet and Maurice Burg (France), chamber ensemble.
During his school and student years, Igor Fedorov was a grant-recipient of the New Names and Yamaha Charity Funds, the V. Spivakov Foundation and the M. Rostropovich Foundation (Sergey Prokofiev scholarship).
He has participated in many major international events, and has even performed for Elizabeth II, the Queen of the United Kingdom, and for Pope John Paul II. Since 1994, Igor Fedorov plays a clarinet, presented by Vladimir Spivakov. In 1999, Igor Fedorov was the first clarinetist to become a soloist of the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic Society.
He performs both solo and chamber programs, with symphony and chamber orchestras such as the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra (conducted by V. Fedoseev), the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra (conducted by A. Lazarev, P. Sorokin), the Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra (conducted by V. Spivakov), The St. Petersburg Camerata (conducted by S. Sondetskis), The St Petersburg Capella Orchestra (conducted by A. Chernushenko), the Musica viva Orchestra (conducted by A. Rudin), The Geneva Chamber Orchestra (conducted by Brian Schembri), the Russian National Orchestra (conducted by A. Sladkovsky), the Philharmonic Orchestras of Russian cities, as well as orchestras of Slovakia, Switzerland, Italy and Lithuania.
International critics have steadily noted Fedorov's splendid virtuosity, his mastery of vast sound palette, artistic impregnability, stylistic versatility of his programmes and uniqueness of his interpretations. He is called one of the most vivid artists of this new generation. He has a uniquely large repertoire, which includes pieces from different styles, eras and genres, from high classics to jazz.
The artist was the first performer of a number of contemporary composers, including L. Desyatnikov, E. Podgaits, B. Getselev, A. Rosenblat and A. Baltin. The young clarinettist was entrusted with the Russian premiere of “Pastoral” for clarinet and piano by 20th century classic R. Shchedrin. The outstanding composer T. Shahidi composed a special concerto for him.
Regular partners of Igor Fedorov are pianists such as A. Gindin, D. Matsuev, E. Mechetina, violinists G. Murzha, A. Baeva, cellists B. Andrianov, D. Shapovalov, F. Groben (Luxembourg), violists D. Rossi (Italy), A. Galkovsky, D. Grishin, soprano A. Samuil, N. Gerasimova, L. Semenina, Y. Ivanilova, flautist M. Fedotova, oboist A. Ogrinchuk, clarinettist J. Milkis, “Dominant Quartet”, The Quartet of the Chamber Orchestra “Soloists of Moscow” and others. Igor Fedorov has toured in 25 countries. He has played in such prominent venues as Barbican Centre (London), Carnegie Hall (New York), Musikzalle (Basel) and Santori Hall (Tokyo), Izumi Hall (Osaka), Tonhalle (Zurich), Bayer Center (Liverkusen), Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Great Hall of St. Petersburg Philharmonic. Fedorov's series of concerts performed at the Moscow International Music House have become a tradition. Fedorov has participated in international festivals of Vladimir Spivakov (Colmar, France), Mstislav Rostropovich “Evian Meetings” (France), the Swedish Royal Festival (Stockholm, Sweden), Orpheum (Switzerland), Bohuslav Martinů Foundation Competition (Prague, Czech Republic), A.D.Sakharov Competition (Nizhny Novgorod, Russia), The “Russian Winter” (Moscow), The “St.Petersburg Seasons” (St.Petersburg), “Dedication to J.Strauss” (Pavlovsk), festival “Return”, chamber music festival in Kostomuksha (Karelia, Russia), D.Matsuev's festival “Crescendo” (Moscow, St.Petersburg, Yekaterinburg).
