Clarinets

Nikita Vaganov

In the orchestra since 2023

He studied at the Gnessin State Musical College (the class of Vladimir Ferapontov), the Lübeck Academy of Music (the class of Rainer Wehle), the Madrid Royal Conservatory (the class of Adolfo Garcés), and the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart (the class of Norbert Kaiser). He took part in master classes by Sabine Meyer, Eduard Brunner, Vicent Alberola, Sergio Bossi.

He is the winner of the First All-Russian Competition for Clarinettists in Moscow (2003), Possehl Music Prize in Lübeck (2009), Lion’s Club Young Woodwind Performers’ Competition in Stuttgart (2012), the fifth Prize of the International Tchaikovsky Competition (2019). In 2011, together with students of the Lübeck Academy of Music, he founded the Cascade wind sextet, which became the winner of the Inter-collegiate Competition among students of the German Higher Schools of Music in Dusseldorf (2012).

He has collaborated with various youth orchestras and festivals, including the International Youth Orchestra IRO (Oxenhausen, Germany), the Baltic Youth Orchestra conducted by Kristjan Järvi, the Russian-German Orchestra. As a chamber musician and soloist, he performed at the Beethovenfest in Bonn (2016) and the Oberstdorf Summer of Music (2013).

From 2013 to 2022 he worked as a soloist of the clarinet group of the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra. Since 2022, he has been a soloist of the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Spivakov. He performs as a guest clarinettist with such ensembles as Les Dissonances Orchestra (Paris), Gustav Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2023, he participated as a guest artist in the Utopia Orchestra.

In 2018, he was a teacher at the Gustav Mahler Summer Academy in Bolzano (Italy). Since 2019, he has been one of the clarinet teachers at the Vicente Alberola Music Master’s Courses (MMCV) in Valencia (Spain).

WHAT BROUGHT YOU INTO THE WORLD OF MUSIC?

I’ve been involved with music since I was seven. I started out playing the piano at the Rostropovich School in Moscow, but it didn’t really click between me and the instrument. So I switched to the clarinet, where I studied under Vladimir Mikhailovich Tupikin — a pretty well-known musician who was once even called “the Benny Goodman of the Soviet Union.” We had a whole class of talented kids. One of them, for example, was Sergey Yeletsky — he's now also a soloist in musicAeterna. Studying with Tupikin was a stroke of luck — he was completely passionate about music. I’ve had the same experience with other great teachers later on, like Vladimir Anatolyevich Ferapontov, Rainer Vele, Sabine Meyer, and Vicente Alberola. With time, I’ve come to really appreciate how valuable that is. Now that I teach a lot myself, I realize how much it matters when a teacher brings passion and love for music into the classroom.

WHICH MUSICIANS HAVE INFLUENCED YOU?

When I was about eight, our school went on tour to Baku. After the concert, Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich came backstage. I didn’t really grasp at the time that he was a legendary cellist, but I’ll never forget the moment he walked in — everyone suddenly went quiet and stared. He had this incredible presence, such warmth and charm. At one point, he came up and gently tousled my hair. I still think of that as a kind of musical blessing.

WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT WORKING WITH MUSICAETERNA AND TEODOR CURRENTZIS?

I first met Teodor when I was invited to play Beethoven’s 4th and 6th Symphonies with musicAeterna. I was blown away by his love for music and the energy he brings into a room — it’s like everything crystallizes around him. I’ve read in musicians’ memoirs that conductors like Leonard Bernstein and Herbert von Karajan had a similar effect. When you rehearse or perform with Teodor, you feel it right to your fingertips. He’s deeply dedicated to his work and polishes every single note. He’s the kind of musician who combines a virtuoso’s skill with a philosopher’s depth.

WHICH PIECES WOULD YOU LOVE TO PERFORM?

Unfortunately, the great Russian composers — Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich — didn’t write solo works for clarinet. But they did create stunning symphonies with unforgettable clarinet solos. Take Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony — the third movement starts with a heartbreaking solo, full of intense legato and a divine atmosphere. It really shows off the beauty of the clarinet. Or Tchaikovsky’s Fifth, which opens with a big duet for two clarinets — that theme runs through all four movements and develops into something incredible, like a story arc in an HBO series. It’s fascinating to follow.

WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF MUSIC?

I love cooking. It started when I moved to Germany at 18. The local food was pretty heavy — not a lot of soups or fresh vegetables — so I had to learn to cook myself. I watched everything I could find online, from Gordon Ramsay to Alexander Belkovich. Their passion and creativity rubbed off on me. I started experimenting in the kitchen and visiting famous restaurants to try new things. Going to a top chef’s place felt like attending a concert by a virtuoso soloist. I’ve realized that musicians and chefs are kindred spirits — always chasing perfection, always in love with what they do.

WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR ENERGY FROM?

I love traveling. And I really believe you don’t need a ton of time, money, or effort to do it. Wherever I’ve lived — Moscow, Stuttgart, St. Petersburg — I’ve always enjoyed weekend trips to nature. Right now, I’m discovering the beauty of the Leningrad region, like the Sestroretsk eco-trail. One day I’d love to visit Kamchatka and see its wild landscapes. To me, being a traveler means always being curious and open to new experiences.