<<  -- 3 --  Howard Smith    FOUR STRINGS TO HIS VIOLIN

In 1991 Bisengaliev signed with Naxos and Marco Polo for a series of recordings that included virtuoso recital repertoire and many major concertos. His recording of Mendelssohn concertos with the Northern Sinfonia was Gramophone Critic's Choice of the year in 1998.

Fanfare magazine nominated his Marco Polo recording of the Brian Concerto. Elgar -- Re-discovered works for violin -- Vol 1 (Black Box) was nominated for the 1999 Gramophone Award and it's successor, again on Black Box, Elgar -- Re-discovered works for violin -- Vol 2 was released to great critical acclaim, becoming one of five recordings recently highly recommended by Classic FM, UK. His Elgar, Wieniawski and Brahms recordings can periodically be heard on Radio NZ Concert FM.

Now he has an intensive recording schedule with Sony BMG; including an album of virtuoso items and a collection of major concertos.

In addition to the New Zealand concerts the violinist's 2006-07 concert itinerary takes him to the UK, America, South Korea, Japan, India, Kazakhstan, Russia, Poland and Germany; some of over 35 countries in which he has performed. At the same time he has appeared on British, Russian and Kazakh Television and at Wigmore Hall, the Barbican, the Royal Albert Hall (London) and Carnegie Hall (New York).

This spring, together with an 11th hour replacement accompanist, top New Zealand pianist, Diedre Irons, he will give recitals in North and South Island centres and is soloist for four concerts by the Vector Wellington Orchestra (formerly Wellington Sinfonia) in Samuel Barber's soulful and popular Violin Concerto.

Marat Bisengaliev was born in Alma-Ata (today's Almaty), Kazakhstan, USSR (1962), where he attended a school for musically gifted children. He went on to study at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, then founded and toured with the Kazakh Chamber Orchestra before immigrating to Britain in 1990.

He lives with his wife Vassilia and Shoray, the second of two children, who was born this year. The Bisengalievs have homes in Yorkshire and South-east Kazakhstan.