Denis Shapovalov, cellist, conductor and composer
"A brilliant talent! He should be proud of his gift!”
– Mstislav Rostropovich
Denis Shapovalov, Soloist & Performer, Conductor & Composer
Russian-Israeli artist Denis Shapovalov has established himself as a versatile musician with a refined sense of different musical styles, equally brilliantly performing diverse repertoire from purely classical programs to rock shows.
Winning the Gold medal at the XI International Tchaikovsky Competition, Shapovalov has performed under distinguished conductors – Lorin Maazel, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Gianandrea Noseda, Yutaka Sado, Andrew Litton, Yoel Levi, Christian Badea, Vladimir Fedoseev, Alexander Vedernikov, Gintaras Rinkevicius, Thomas Sanderling, and others.
Since 2016, Denis has started his own composing activity, performing at concerts in his three roles – cellist, conductor, and composer.
Rock vs. Rococo
Shapovalov actively participated in various modern music projects; he was the first to perform the compositions by Rodion Shchedrin, Giya Kancheli, Jakob ter Veldhuis, and others.
Denis Shapovalov is a versatile musician; he performs the entire range of academic music literature and elaborates on new-format programs. He translated his passion for rock music into the unique crossover project “Rock vs. Rococo,” which attracted new audiences to academic venues with great success.
Conductor
Denis Shapovalov often adopts the double role of a conductor and a soloist, brilliantly performing purely classical programs, and strikes with fantastic confidence, combining diverse music styles.
Shapovalov has conducted 100-cello orchestra projects at the III Mstislav Rostropovich International Festival at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and the Moscow Conservatory Great Hall.
Composer
In 2016, Shapovalov discovered his composer’s talent, which critics and audiences highly acclaimed. He has been applauded for his compositions at international festivals in Russia, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Romania, Poland, Serbia, Montenegro, Lithuania, and Georgia.
In 2021, the Symphony Fantasy “Tchaikovsky-Dvorak. A letter to a dearest friend" (2021)” was commissioned by Zaryadye Moscow Concert Hall by the Russian State TV Channel “Kult recorded the premiere with Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestraura.
Shapovalov writes rock music under the pseudonym Denis Wonderland.
How it all started
Shapo was born in 1974 in Tchaikovsky town in the Urals. In 2000, he graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky State Conservatory, where he studied under Professor Natalia Shakhovskaya. For 12 years, he had been teaching cello as a professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Denis was regularly invited to give master classes worldwide, and in 2014, he launched the “Cello Travel International Academy” educational project.
Since 2022 – Denis Shapovahas has been a professor at the Perosi Academy of Music in Italy.
Management
Cicerone Music & Art operates for Denis Shapovalov in certain areas worldwide. Contact us for more info and bookings.
Edouard Lalo: Cello Concerto in D minor with the State Symphony Orchestra “Novaya Rossiya,” at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall.