In 1979, because of his growing discontent with the restrictions on artistic freedom under the Soviet regime, Mr. Feltsman signaled his intention to emigrate by applying for an exit visa. In response, he was immediately banned from performing in public and his recordings were suppressed. After eight years of virtual artistic exile, he was finally granted permission to leave the Soviet Union. Upon his arrival in the United States in 1987, Mr. Feltsman was warmly greeted at the White House, where he performed his first recital in North America. That same year, his debut at Carnegie Hall established him as a major pianist on the American and international scene. Since then, Mr. Feltsman has performed with major American and European orchestras and appeared at the most prestigious concert venues and music festivals worldwide. His vast repertoire encompasses music from the Baroque to the twenty-first-century.  

Mr. Feltsman expressed his lifelong devotion to the music of J.S. Bach in a cycle of concerts that presented the major clavier works of the composer and spanned four consecutive seasons (1992-1996) at the 92nd Street Y in New York. His project “Masterpieces of the Russian Underground” unfolded a panorama of Russian contemporary music through an unprecedented survey of piano and chamber works by fourteen different composers from Shostakovich to the present day and was presented by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in January 2003 with great success. Mr. Feltsman served as Artistic Director for this project as well as performing in most of the pieces presented during the three-concert cycle. These programs included a number of world and North American premieres and were also presented in Portland, Oregon and in Tucson, Arizona at the University of Arizona. In the fall of 2006, Mr. Feltsman performed all of Mozart’s piano sonatas in New York at the Mannes School of Music and the New School’s Tishman Auditorium on a specially built replica of an eighteenth-century Walter fortepiano. His most recent project, “Russian Experiment,” included works of lesser-known Russian composers of the first half of the twentieth century and was presented at the Aspen Music Festival in 2017.

A dedicated educator of young musicians, Mr. Feltsman holds the Distinguished Chair of Professor of Piano at the State University of New York, New Paltz, and is a member of the piano faculty at the Mannes College of Music in New York City. He is the founder and Artistic Director of the International Festival-Institute, PianoSummer at New Paltz, a three-week-long intensive training program for advanced piano students that attracts major young talent from all over the world. In 2012 Vladimir and his wife Haewon established the Feltsman Piano Foundation, which helps young musicians to realize their potential and advance their careers. Since 2017 every student accepted to PianoSummer receives free tuition and housing.
Released on the Sony Classical and Nimbus labels, Mr. Feltsman’s extensive discography includes more than 60 CDs and is still growing. He has recorded all of the major clavier works of J.S. Bach, the complete Schubert sonatas, major works of Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, and Brahms, concertos by Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Prokofiev. He has also recorded six tribute recordings dedicated to Russian composers: Tributes to Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Prokofiev, Silvestrov, and “Forgotten Russians.”

Mr. Feltsman is the author of Piano Lessons, a book published in 2019 that presents insights drawn from a lifetime of devotion to music and addresses such vitally important topics as practicing, performing, learning, and recording. Also included in the book are highly informative and detailed liner notes written to accompany his many recordings, and a study of the Well-Tempered Clavier by Bach.

Vakhtang Matchavariani has been associated with Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Large Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra of USSR, Symphony Orchestra of Ministry of Culture of USSR, Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra St. Petersburg, Presidential Symphony Orchestra Ankara and many other prominent orchestras.

Vakhtang Matchavariani received his musical education at Tbilisi Central Music School and the Tbilisi State Conservatory, initially as a pianist. Later he studied conducting at Tbilisi State Conservatory with Odisey Dimitiriadi, with Gennadi Rozhdestvensky at the Moscow State Conservatory, and finally with Karl Österreicher, at the Vienna Music Academy. During his studies in Viena, Maestro Lorin Maazel wrote about him: ” …An audition was arranged where Mr. Matchavariani conducted the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. From what I could ascertain in the short time given Mr. Matchavariani, he has a conducting gift and he showed solid musicianship.”

Vakhtang Matchavariani has been associated with a number of the world renowned opera houses throughout the world, including seven-year tenure at Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. He has been a guest conductor at the Scottish Opera in Glasgow, and has been touring with performances. V. Matchavariani has worked with the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow opera houses in Germany France, Switzerland, Russia, Latvia, Georgia. He has also performed in Verona and conducted operas in a concert version in Spain.

In 1990 under the auspices of the Academy of Science of the USSR Vakhtang Matchavariani established the Soviet Festival Orchestra with the members of leading Symphony and Opera House Orchestras, including prominent musicians from Bolshoi and Mariinsky Theaters, Moscow and St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestras, Russian, Ukrainian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Armenian, Belarus and Georgian Philharmonic and Radio & TV Orchestras. After the collapse of the USSR the orchestra’s name was changed to the Moscow Festival Orchestra. The Orchestra was undertaking numerous concert tours around the world.

Later from 2000 Vakhtang Matchavariani has served as the Artistic Director and GMD of the “Russian Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra Millennium”. Vakhtang Matchavariani was an Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Georgian State Symphony Orchestra during nine years. In 2000, for the 75th anniversary of the GSSO, Maestro Matchavariani brought the team of 80 members of the Bonn Philharmonic Choir and 7 international Soloists, with exceptional performances of Beethoven’s symphony Nr.9 and Brahms German Requiem.

It was made possible by Matchavariani’s tireless effort to perform Verdi’s opera Falstaff, R. Wagner’s opera Tristan & Isolde, B. Bartok’s opera Bluebeard’s Castle in Tbilisi for the first time, as well as J. Brahms German Requiem, G. Mahler’s Symphonies Nr. 5 & 7, Rückert Lieder, R. Strauss Also Sprach Zaratustra, Tod & Verklärung , 4 Letzte Lieder, B.Britten’s Phaedra, W. Walton’s Symphony Nr. 2 and some other compositions.

By the initiative of Maestro Matchavariani several world-renowned performers visited Georgia, such as: Kent Nagano, Ivry Gitlis, Günter von Kannen and a number of other great performers.

Vakhtang Matchavariani has worked with several great soloists, such as Margaret Price, Boris Berezovsky, Michail Rudy, Renato Bruson, Katia Riciarelli, Alexander Toradze, Liana Isakadze and numerous other great musicians.
V. Matchavariani has made a great number of recordings with the: Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra St. Petersburg, Radio & TV Large Symphony Orchestra of USSR, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Moscow Festival Orchestra, Russian Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra Millennium, Georgian State Symphony Orchestra, Georgian Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of Ministry of Culture of USSR. Radio recordings with a number of orchestras in Russia and abroad.

Vakhtang Matchavariani is also a composer. He has composed a Concertino for Piano & Orchestra, Symphonic poem “Nacarqeqia”, Symphony Nr. 1 “Harmonia Mundi” in 4 movements (recorded), 10 Sonnets on Shakespeare’s words for Mezzo Soprano and orchestra (recorded). Currently he is working on an opera “Richard III”, by Shakespeare. The Libretto is by Vakhtang Matchavariani. Maestro Matchavariani wrote the Libretto for Alexi Matchavari’s opera “Medea” and he is also a co-composer of the final scene of the 1st act for opera “Medea”. In 2020 he wrote following compositions: “Dedication to Ludwig van B” for Strings, Piano and Timpani, to 250 birthday of Beethoven. “Impressions 2020” for solo Viola, Mezzo Soprano, Piano, Celesta, Arpe and 7 Percussionists playng on 12 instruments. The pease is expressing the feelings in Pandemy time. He wrote as well a Song; “Wait, O my soul” on words of Merab Kostava, and a Composition for 12 instruments in 12 tune system.

In 2014 Japanese music critic, Mr. Kazuhiko Kashima wrote in “Messenger”; “Vakhtang Matchavariani Is a great conductor among the likes of Valery Gergiev and Yuri Temirkanov. After listening the recording of Vakhtang Matchavariani’s Symphony Nr. 1 “Harmonia Mundi”, I was very impressed. It is a Georgian style great symphony, similar to Alexi Matchavariani’s symphonism. Finale was a big surprise, such as the second symphony of G. Mahler, with a heavy sound, very impressing. The 4 movement symphony is a fusion of Georgian and late German Romantic music and is a great symphony written by a hero and genius”.

As a publicist V. Matchavariani has authored several Essays, a book “You-Eternal Sorceress”, a book “The Birth of the Opera” and the number of articles. Currently he is working on a new book: “Humans with Zigzag towards the Black Hole”.
Vakhtang Matchavariani is a son of a great Georgian composer Alexi Matchavariani and a grandson of a famous Choir Conductor Kirile Pachkoria.

For his significant accomplishments in performing arts Maestro Vakhtang Matchavariani was awarded the Georgia’s highest and most prestigious Medal of Brilliance and Excellency.

In 1971 Georgian State Symphony Orchestra was awarded with the status of honored Orchestra and in 1994 – it was named after Evgeny Mikeladze.

At different times the Orchestra was directed by the conductors Aleksandre Gvelesiani, Grigol Kiladze, Aleksandr Gauk, Shalva Azmaiparashvili, Odissey Dimitriadi, Jemal Gokieli, Zakaria Khurodze, Jansugh Kakhidze, David Del Pino Klinge, Vakhtang Matchavariani; also, music directors: composers Andria Balanchivadze and Alexi Matchavariani.

In 2005 Georgian State Symphony Orchestra, together with other State status collectives, was united in newly established Georgia National Music Center and 25 years old composer Nikoloz Rachveli was invited from Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts as an Music Director. From 2007 he has combined the position of principal conductor of the Orchestra.

The Orchestra has implemented lots of successful performances. Among them are concert tours abroad in various worldwide famous venues, such as the Moscow Conservatory Grand Hall, Berlin Philharmonic Concert Hall, Amsterdam ConzertGebau, Athens and Frankfurt Concert Halls, Paris Les Invalids, Pierre Cardin Center, UNESCO Hall & Salle Pleyel, St. Petersburg Schostakovich Philharmonic Hall, Tallinn NORDEA Concert Hall, Berlin Konzerthaus, Brussels Palais de Beaux Arts BOZAR, Strasbourg Convention Centre, Hamburg ElbPhilharmonie, Frankfurt Alte Oper, etc.

During 94 years of its existence, the Orchestra’s repertoire includes all the most important pieces of the Georgian symphony music and numerous masterpieces of the world’s symphony and opera music. The Orchestra is the first performer practically of all important National symphony music pieces, as well as performs Georgian premieres by numerous foreign composers.

In 2013, due to the reform at the National Music Center of Georgia, the young talented musicians of the new generation, successfully performed in the various Orchestras of Georgia and abroad, joined the State Symphony Orchestra. Thereafter the renewed Orchestra is called Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra. During the same year, the outstanding Georgian Musicians: Giya Kancheli, Alexander Toradze, Josef Bardanashvili, Paata Burchuladze and Shalva Mosidze were elected as an Artistic Council. Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra is the first Orchestra in Georgia, who has received the right to choose its creative director (before this position was appointed by the Georgian Minister of Culture). In December 2013, Maestro Nikoloz Rachveli was chose as an Music Director and Principal Conductor of Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra and thereafter Orchestra performed lots of successful concerts with the invited Georgian and foreign musician-performers in Georgia and abroad.