Anton Batagov
composer / pianist

'One of the most significant and unusual figures of Russian contemporary music.'
Newsweek, Russian edition (1997)

"a Russian Terry Riley"
Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times (2008)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anton Batagov, one of the most influential Russian composers and performers, born October 10, 1965 in Moscow, studied at the Gnessin School and at the Moscow Conservatory. Prize-winner at four competitions: Concertino-Prague (1981), the All-Soviet Piano Competition (1985), the Tchaikovsky Competition (1986) and the Sydney International Piano Competition (1988). Performances in Russia, most European countries and the U.S.A.

A focal point of Batagov's concepts is its link to the post-Cagean philosophy, which cancels boundaries between the notions "performance" and "composition" by viewing all existing musical practices, from ancient music to rock/pop culture, as potential elements which might be used when performing/composing virtually any piece of music. The well-known American musicologist Richard Kostelanetz characterized his 1993 recording of "Die Kunst der Fuge" by J.S.Bach as "the most stunning interpretation of Bach since Glenn Gould".

He was the first Russian pianist to take advantage of interpreting works by John Cage, Morton Feldman, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. For ten years Anton Batagov had been one of the leaders and organizers of "Alternativa", the annual international new music festival in Moscow.

While the musical language of Batagov's compositions was influenced by the heritage of Russian and European classics, he created the style of his own developing harmonic palette and motoric pulse of the Soviet avant-garde music of the 20-30s. His post-minimalist aesthetics which features trademark rhythmic vigor, unique sense of large-scale architecture, and lush, textured emotionalism, "might be mapped between Philip Glass' hot urban jungle and Morton Feldman's icy alpine heights". (The Moscow Tribune).

Batagov composes works for acoustic and electronic instruments. His discography counts about 30 CD releases. He is the author of several soundtracks for the movies directed by leading Russian directors. In the last 12 years he became a pioneer in making original music for the post-Soviet television. He composed over 2.000 tunes for the major Russian TV channels. At present he works as a chief composer for "Kultura" TV Channel.

In 1997 Anton Batagov discontinued his live performances and focused on studio recodings.