HONORARY MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMY

Honorary Doctor of Belarusian State Academy of Music

Soviet and Russian pianist, teacher, music-social figure. People’s Artist of USSR (1990). Honored Artist of RSFSR (1972), Honored Art Figure of RSFSR (1977). Professor. Laureate of All-Union competition of musician-performers (1945, I prize), IV International competition named after F.Chopin in Warsaw (1949, IX prize).
He’s a member of council of Museum named after A.Skriabin in Moscow. Honored President of European piano teachers association. Honored Professor of Tambov State Music-Pedagogic Institution. Honored citizen of Tambov (1994). Founder and President of Rakhmaninov Society in Russia.

He was born on 15 August 1919 in Tambov, RSFSR. He started his studies in Tambov Music School named after S.Rakhmaninov (classes of A.Lavdovskaya, A.Poltoratsky and S.Starikov). In 1936-1941 he studied in Moscow conservatory (class of S.Feinberg (piano) and A.Gedike), graduated with golden medal. There he became postgraduate student under Feinberg’s supervision (1947).

In 1939 he debuted in concert of Moscow State Academic Philharmonic Society. He received international popularity as pianist in 1945 when he won I prize at All-Union competition of musician-performers in Moscow (ex-aequo with S.Rikhter). Since that moment he toured in Russian and abroad performing in European, American, Asian and African countries.

He started teaching in Moscow Conservatory in 1947 as assistant of S.Feinberg (special piano), since 1964 – Professor. Since 2007 – the Head of the Special Piano Department. In 1973-1978 – Professor of Warsaw Conservatory.

By his initiative in Russia was founded Rakhmaninov Society and competition named after S.Rakhmaninov was launched (firstly it was All-Union, then International competition). He is the Head of pianist department of All-Russian music society, organizer of annual International festival named after S.Rakhmaninov in Tambov. He helps Rakhmaninov Museum in Ivanovka (Novgorod region).

He participated in international courses of piano mastery development in Weimar (1972), Manchester (1987), Bolzano (1986), Fryeburg (1987) and Speihingen (constantly), Helsinki, Salonika, Los-Angeles, Paris, Tokyo, London, annually – in Tambov.

Students.  Merzhanov is worldwide famous teacher who taught more than 100 pianists, laureates of All-Union and International competitions. Including: V.Bukin, V.Bunin, O.Volkov,I.Gifranov, Ya.Dzevetsky, Yu.Didenko, E.Zeinalova, A.Kloschc, T.Larionova, G.Mieserova, U.Mitrenga, A.Nersesian, M.Olenev, Yu.Slesarev. F.Fernandes, H.Kharada, T.Shebanova, S.Yushkevich, A.Yarovaya etc.

Awards:

• Order of Honor (2010);
• Order of Friendship (2001);
• Medal «For the Victory in Great Patriotic War 1941-1945»;
• Officer of order of Merits for the Republic of Poland;
• Lapel pin «For the merits for Polish culture»;
• Certificate of Honor of the Presidium of Higher Council of USSR;

Partial discography:

• Ludwig Van Beethoven / Viktor Merzhanov – 10^th Sonata / 14^th Sonata (1954);
• Franz Schubert / Johannes Brahms, Viktor Merzhanov – FANTASY composition. 15, do major / VARIATIONS OF PAGANINI compositions. 35 (1956);
• Viktor Merzhanov — Franz Liszt (1956);
• Viktor Merzhanov, Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff, Franz Liszt, Niccolò Paganini – Merzhanov Plays Rachmaninoff Concerto N°3 & Three Grand Etudes (A Piano Debut) (1958);
• Merzhanov Plays Brahms-Paganini Variations Scriabin Sonata No 5 And 4 Etudes (1958);
• Frédéric Chopin — Viktor Merzhanov – 24 Interludes, Comp. 28 (1959);
• Viktor Merzhanov — Sergei Prokofiev / Dmitri Shostakovich / Nikolai Peiko – Sonoata № 6 / Three Fantastic Dances / Sonatina fairy-tale (1964);
• Viktor Merzhanov, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Seasons (1972);
• Viktor Merzhanov — Franz Schubert / Frédéric Chopin;
• Viktor Merzhanov — Sergei Prokofiev / Modest Mussorgsky – Fairy-tales of old grandma / Pictures At An exhebition (1982);
• Viktor Merzhanov, Modest Mussorgsky, Sergei Prokofiev – Pieces For Piano: Pictures At An Exhibition / Sonata No. 6 / Pieces For Piano (1991).

Publications:

• Author of variety of articles of concert life, music competitions, music pedagogy and performance. Editor “Album for youth” R.Shuman, “Pictures At An Exhibition” of M.Musorgsky, Two plays by S.Rakhmaninov;
• Author of new edition “Good tempered clavier” by I.Bach where he made a range of important textological discoveries (M.: 2001), piano transcriptions;
• Author of the article “About performing 5^th sonata of Skriabin” (published in Russia and Germany).

V.Merzhanov in works of other researchers:              

• Viktor Merzhanov. Music must talk: Collection of articles / Editor-compeller G.Krauklis. – 2008. – 320 p.
• Olenev. Last of the Mohicans // Piano. – 2008.- № 3 – 4 (45 – 46). – P. 16 – 22
• Viktor Merzhanov is 90! / Editor-compeller M.Lidsky. –  2009. – 24 p.
• Viktor Merzhanov. Life-length rising/ Monograph. S.Nizamutdinova. – 2014. – 306 p.
• Nekhaenko. Viktor Merzhanov: portrait in the interior of two conservatories / V.Nekhaenko // News of Belarusian State Academy of Music. – 2022. – № 41. – P. 158 – 164.

Informational and additional sources:

web-site of Moscow State Conservatory named after P.Tchaikovsky ( http://www.mosconsv.ru/ru/person.aspx?id=8769 );
web-site commemorated to Viktor Merzhanov (http://www.merzhanov.com/index-ru.html );
full discography of Viktor Merzhanov ( https://www.discogs.com/ru/artist/1880406-Виктор-Мержанов ).