Oleg Kagan
Illustration — Oleg Kagan (right) meeting Mrs. Aino Sibelius at Ainola, Finland, 1965, on the 100th birthday of Jean Sibelius. Oleg Moiseyevich Kagan (Russian: Оле́г Моисе́евич Кага́н; 22 November 1946 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russian SFSR – 15 July 1990, Munich, West Germany) was a Soviet violinist, known for his chamber collaborations with such musicians as pianist Sviatoslav Richter, Eliso Virsaladze and cellist Natalia Gutman, his wife.
Also recorded as Oleg Moiseyevich Kagan
Oleg Kagan

Anonymous Unknown author / Lehtikuva · Public domain
- Born
- 1946. · Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
- Died
- 1990. · Munich.
- Nationality
- Soviet Union.
- Occupation
- violinist, musician and concertmaster.
- Fields
- music, chamber music and violin performance.
- Education
- Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music.
- Honours
- Merited Artist of the RSFSR.
- Languages
- Russian.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Oleg Kagan (right) meeting Mrs. Aino Sibelius at Ainola, Finland, 1965, on the 100th birthday of Jean Sibelius. Oleg Moiseyevich Kagan (Russian: Оле́г Моисе́евич Кага́н; 22 November 1946 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russian SFSR – 15 July 1990, Munich, West Germany) was a Soviet violinist, known for his chamber collaborations with such musicians as pianist Sviatoslav Richter, Eliso Virsaladze and cellist Natalia Gutman, his wife.
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Note VALÉORINE
Oleg Kagan (1946–1990) was a Soviet concertmaster, musician and violinist. Born in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the concertmaster died in Munich.
Oleg Kagan studied at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. The concertmaster worked in Soviet Union. Oleg Kagan was active in chamber music, music and violin performance.
Genres include classical music. Languages used include Russian. The concertmaster received Honored Artist of the RSFSR and Merited Artist of the RSFSR.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 29 September 2026
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wikidata · Q1363356 · wikipedia · Oleg Kagan
In this article
Biography
Biography
He was also a significant proponent of modern music, in particular Berg's Violin Concerto. Several recently released concert recordings have added to his posthumous reputation.
Oleg Kagan studied at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music. The recorded working language is Russian. The field of work recorded is music, chamber music and violin performance. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are classical music. Places of work recorded in the authority are Soviet Union. Distinctions recorded are Merited Artist of the RSFSR.
section Born in Sakhalin, Kagan was brought up in Riga following his family's relocation to the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1953. He began studying at the Latvian State Conservatory in Riga at age eight under Joachim Braun; five years later, he was taken to Moscow by violinist Boris Kuznetsov. During the 1960s, he won the Sibelius and Bach Competitions, while also placing in the top-five of the Enescu and Tchaikovsky Competitions. Upon Kuznetsov's death, Kagan began studying with David Oistrakh, and in 1969, he began playing chamber music with Richter. Along with Richter and Gutman, Kagan also appeared frequently with pianist Vasily Lobanov, who would later dedicate a piece to him. With his second wife, cellist Natalia Gutman, he founded the Music Festival in 1990, which was renamed the Oleg Kagan International Music Festival after his death in 1992. As Kagan seemed to be approaching the zenith of his career he became seriously ill with cancer in 1989. He had several surgeries, but struggled to remain active, touring Europe when he could and arranging festivals. Though his doctors at a hospital in Lübeck, Germany declared him too sick to be released, Kagan discharged himself to appear at his final festival, in Kreuth am Tegernsee, Bavaria. Shortly after giving two Mozart concerts there, where he had to be helped on-stage, he died on 15 July 1990, aged 43.
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the heading Oleg Moiseyevich Kagan. His recorded language was Russian. He married Natalia Gutman. One child is recorded: Alexander Kagan.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1990
Oleg Kagan died at Munich.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Birth place
Munich.
Death place
Selected recordings
• J.S. Bach Violin Sonatas and Partitas, BWV 1001–1006, 1989, Release Date: 2008.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Oleg Kagan”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1363356: Oleg Kagan
General reference · Wikidata
Literature
Literature
Kagan, Oleg, Oxford Music Online, 2001
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Channel, The Violin. Soviet Violin Virtuoso Oleg Kagan Was Born On This Day in 1946 [ON-THIS-DAY]. World's Leading Classical Music Platform. 2019-11-22.
- 2.Larousse, Éditions. Oleg Kagan - LAROUSSE. www.larousse.fr.
- 3.Debra, Michelle. Oleg Kagan, 30 ans déjà. Crescendo Magazine. 2020-07-15.
- 4.Oleg Kagan (Violin) - Short Biography. www.bach-cantatas.com.
- 5.Oleg Kagan Live Classics Onlineshop.
- 6.Über uns Musikfest am Tegernsee. musikfest-am-tegernsee.de.
- 7.Oleg Kagan. Firma Melodiya.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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