Maxim Shalygin

Maxim Shalygin (born January 30, 1985, in Kamianske, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian-Dutch composer, conductor, and performer known for his innovative compositions that blend a wide range of techniques.

Shalygin began studying composition at the age of sixteen under Iryna Ivashenko in his hometown Kamianske (then Dniprodzerzhynsk). In 2004, he studied for a year with Boris Tishchenko at the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory. He earned his first master's degree in 2010 from the Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music in Kyiv, Ukraine, studying under Ihor Shcherbakov and influenced by composer Svyatoslav Lunyov. In 2011, he received a second master's degree from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in the Netherlands, where he studied with Cornelis de Bondt and Diderik Wagenaar.

In 2010, Shalygin relocated to the Netherlands, where he has composed over 40 works across various genres, including chamber music, vocal music, symphonic pieces, electroacoustic music, and scores for theatre, ballet, opera, and film. His compositions are noted for expanding traditional playing techniques, maintaining a tonal language, and avoiding avant-garde radicalism.

Shalygin's works have been performed at numerous international venues and festivals, such as Gaudeamus Muziekweek in the Netherlands, and Klarafestival in Belgium. Ensembles like Asko/Schönberg, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, and Slagwerk Den Haag as well as among others soloists like Antonii Baryshevskyi (piano), Anna Fedorova (piano), Maya Fridman (cello), Natalia Gordeyeva (violin), Tomoko Mukaiyama (piano), Emmy Storms (violin), and Diana Tishchenko (violin) have featured his compositions.

In 2016, Shalygin founded the Shapeshift Ensemble in the Netherlands, initiating the S I M I L A R project, a multi-chapter cycle exploring the intimate and transformative power of specific instruments and ensembles. Each chapter is dedicated to a unique instrumental combination, showcasing their expressive potential in innovative ways.

To date, the project includes:

1. Lacrimosa or 13 Magic Songs (2017): Seven violins. This composition is the first chapter, written for seven violinists. It explores themes of sorrow and transcendence through intricate violin interplay.
2. Todos los fuegos el fuego (2019): Eight saxophones. A musical cycle for saxophone octet, this composition immerses listeners in a mystical experience, creating a profound link between music and literature.
3. Severade (2021): Nine cellos. This piece creates a rich tapestry of sound that delves into the depths of the cello's expressive capabilities.
4. Delirium (2023): Four grand pianos. 'Delirium' offers an immersive auditory experience that challenges perceptions of space and time.
5. Bleeding (2024): Thirteen brass players. Bleeding brings a detail from Bruckner's huge Eighth Symphony into today's language.

Amandante is Shalygin's first opera, which premiered on October 2, 2024, at the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam. The opera is inspired by Plato's Symposium and explores the dynamics of love and desire. Dutch reviews of 'Amandante' are predominantly positive. NRC praises the ‘masterful dramaturgy’ and the ‘triumph of musical imagination’, with the performance offering a ‘rollercoaster of emotions’. de Volkskrant calls the opera a ‘pompous potpourri of over-familiar musical styles’ and finds the scenes disjointed. Theaterkrant describes the music as a 'kind of Philip Glass in overdrive', with repetitive motifs leading to intense climaxes. The performance was provided by Ukrainian ensemble Nova Opera, which continues to strive for innovative musical theatre despite the war in their homeland. The production combines music with visual elements, such as the video ‘Ombre indigène’ by artist Edith Dekyndt, adding to the opera's complex and layered experience.

Fetus Études is a cycle of piano études:

• Au vent sur la pointe des pieds (2019)
• Angel (2020)
• To All Alive (2023)
• To All in Love (2024)
• To All Resurrected (2024)

• Letters to Anna (2009–2010): A symphony for solo violin that received an honourable mention at the 2012 Gaudeamus competition.
• Canti d'inizio e fine (2019): Composed for a solo performer who can play, sing, and express a range of emotions; it has been performed by cellist Maya Fridman.
• Kaya (2019) for Violin and Piano: Commissioned by the Oskar Back Vioolconcours and dedicated to Kaya Shalygin, the composer's daughter. Diana Tishchenko performed this piece with José Gallardo during their ECHO Rising Stars tour.
• Angel (2020) for Violin and Chello: premiered by Maya Fridman and Merel Vercammen.
• Drop after Drop (2022): A string quartet commissioned by Festivals for Compassion, reflects the composer's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, encapsulating deep pain and memories through its haunting melodies. It was performed by The Riot Ensemble at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in the UK. An arrangement for piano four hands was performed as an encore by the Ukrainian pianists Anna Fedorova and Antonii Baryshevskyi on 13 January 2024 at the Concert for Ukraine at the De Doelen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
• Diana (2022): This composition was dedicated to Diana Tishchenko by Shalygin, highlighting their artistic partnership.

The following list consists of studio albums of compositions by Maxim Shalygin.

As of 2024, Shalygin continues to reside and work in the Netherlands, actively composing and participating in various musical projects and festivals worldwide.