Originally from Moscow and now living in the United States, Oleg Timofeyev holds an M.A. in Early Music Performance from the University of Southern California (1993), and a Ph.D. in Performance Practice from Duke University (1999). He taught himself to play the guitar as a child, supervised by his mother (a professional cellist) and his grandmother (an excellent pianist). From 1981 until 1983, Mr. Timofeyev took guitar lessons from Kamil Frauchi, the most influential guitar teacher in Moscow of the time and the father of the internationally known guitarist Alexandr Frauchi. Since 1983, Oleg Timofeyev has been performing early music on original instruments, se of the plucked family (lute, guitar). In 1989 this interest brought him to the U.S. where he studied with Patrick 0'Brien, James Tyler, and Hopkinson Smith.
Timofeyev's recording debut occurred in 1999 with a collection of seventeenth-century lute music (Centaur 2409) and the pioneering "Golden Age of the Russian Guitar" (DOR 93170). Both discs were received by international critics with enthusiasm and encouragement. A reviewer for Guitar Player wrote ;"The Golden Age of the Russian Guitar succeeds on many levels - emotional, technical, historical - and is essential listening for anyone who is passionate about guitar." The German magazine Gitarre&Laute granted this recording five stars out of five, while the British journal Classical Guitar stated that "Timofeyev emerges as a specialist player of the highest order." Due to its innovative nature, Timofeyev's first guitar album reaches not only those interested in cassical guitar and/or authentic performance, but everyone interested in Russian culture. Thus, the popular journal Russian Life responds: "This wonderful CD opens up a window on a century-old repertoire of cassical Russian guitar music." Timofeyev's goal for the next few years is to keep this window open with many more recordings.
Mr. Timofeyev lives in Iowa City, where he teaches at the University of Iowa. He also tours internationally offering solo concerts and lecture/recitals. At present he is working on an all-Sychra recording to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the composer's death (1850-2000).
A microfilm of Oleg Timofeyev's dissertation can be ordered from: UMI, 300 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346.
