Oleg Vitalyevich Timofeyev (russian: Оле́г Вита́льевич Тимофе́ев, ''Oleg Vital'evič Timofeev''; born January 12, 1963, in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

), is an American

musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some mu ...

, specializing in

lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lute" can ref ...

and

Russian guitar The Russian guitar (sometimes referred to as a "Gypsy guitar") is an acoustic seven-string guitar that was developed in Russia toward the end of the 18th century: it shares most of its organological features with the Spanish guitar, although som ...

. He is best known for his pioneering work in the discovery, promotion, interpretation, and authentic performance of the repertoire for the 19th- and 20th-century Russian seven-string guitar.

Biography

Studies

Timofeyev comes from a musical family, being the son of cellist Natalia Timofeyeva. He began his study of the classical guitar in the early 1980s under the tutelage of Kamill Frauchi, about whom he later produced a documentary film, ''Frautschi'' . He holds an M.A. in Early Music Performance from the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

(1993), and a Ph.D. in Performance Practice from

Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...

(1999) . Since 1983 he has been performing early music on authentic instruments of the plucked family (

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

). In 1989 his musical interests brought him to the U.S., where he studied with Patrick O'Brien, James Tyler, and

Hopkinson Smith Hopkinson Smith (born December 7, 1946) is an American lutenist and pedagogue, longtime resident in Basel, Switzerland. Smith was born in New York City, the son of architectural writer and photographer G. E. Kidder Smith. He graduated from Har ...

Professional work

Revival of the Russian seven-string guitar

Since earning his doctorate he has worked for the revival of Russian music played with authentic technique on the seven-string guitar, often in collaboration with other artists, including the Russian

Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: Places Australia * Roma, Queensland, a town ** Roma Airport ** Roma Courthouse ** Electoral district of Roma, defunct ** Town of Roma, defunct town, now part of the Maranoa Regional Council *Roma Street, Brisbane, a ...

guitarist

Sasha Kolpakov Aleksandr Alexandrovich Kolpakov (russian: Александр Александрович Колпаков ; (born 15 February 1943 in Buzuluk, Orenburg Oblast, RSFSR, Soviet Union) is a Soviet and Russian guitarist, singer and composer. Biogra ...

, the Kolpakov Trio (Timofeyev, Kolpakov Trio and Talisman 2005), and the American guitarist

John Schneiderman John H. Schneiderman is an American lutenist and guitarist born in Ithaca, New York, where his father was a member of the faculty of Cornell University. Schneiderman was introduced to music by his mother, who taught him to play the ukulele when he ...

(Timofeyev and Schneiderman 2006). Among the fruits of his research has been his rediscovery and recording the music of Matvej Pavlov-Azancheev (1888–1963), who was among the rare composers for the seven-string guitar in the first half of the twentieth century. Timofeyev has performed and taught widely in Europe and the United States. A recipient of numerous scholarly awards, including IREX and

Fulbright The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

fellowships, he has taught and lectured at Maimonides State Academy (Moscow),

, the

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

, the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...

Grinnell College Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, United States. It was founded in 1846 when a group of New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College. Grinnell has the fifth highest endowment-to-st ...

, and the Smithsonian.

Bibliography

Scholarly publications

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Film- and discography

* * * * * * * * * *

External links

Олег Витальевич Тимофеев
- Biography in Russian in the ''Illustrated Biographical Encyclopedic Dictionary: Guitarists and Composers'' by V. V. and S. V. Tavrovskij (В.В. и С.В Тавровские, ред., Иллюстрированный биографический энциклопедический словарь: Гитаристы и композиторы)
www.russian-guitar.com
- Timofeyev's personal website
International Academy for Russian Musica, Arts, and Culture
- Foundation for the promotion of the Russian seven-string guitar, its music, and tradition
''Iowa Roots'': Oleg Timofeyev, Russian Jewish Guitarist
- Interview with audio files and text by the Iowa Arts Council
Mel Bay Artist's Profile: Oleg TimofeyevTalisman Ensemble
{{DEFAULTSORT:Timofeyev, Oleg 1963 births Living people American classical guitarists American male guitarists Russian classical guitarists Russian male guitarists American lutenists Russian lutenists Seven-string guitarists Viol players Torbanists American performers of early music Contemporary classical music performers Musicians from Moscow People from Iowa American documentary filmmakers American ethnomusicologists Jewish American musicians Klezmer musicians American musicologists USC Thornton School of Music alumni Duke University alumni 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians