Oleg Vitalyevich Timofeyev (Russian: Оле́г Вита́льевич Тимофе́ев, Oleg Vital'evič Timofeev; born January 12, 1963, in Moscow), is an American musicologist, specializing in lute and Russian guitar. 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.
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 [de; ru], about whom he later produced a documentary film, Frautschi.[1] He 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).[2] Since 1983 he has been performing early music on authentic instruments of the plucked family (lute, guitar). In 1989 his musical interests brought him to the U.S., where he studied with Patrick O'Brien, James Tyler, and Hopkinson Smith.
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 guitarist Sasha Kolpakov, the Kolpakov Trio (Timofeyev, Kolpakov Trio and Talisman 2005), and the American guitarist John Schneiderman (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, Oleg (1997). The Wandering Lutenist (CD). Centaur Records. CRC-2409.
Timofeyev, Oleg (1999). The Golden Age of the Russian Guitar (CD). Dorian Recordings. DOR-93170.
Timofeyev, Oleg (2000). The Golden Age of Russian Guitar, Vol. 2 (CD). Dorian Recordings. DOR-93203.
Timofeyev, Oleg (Russian Seven-String Guitar, Artistic Director); Anne Harley (Soprano, Co-Director); Irina Rees (Harpsichord); Etienne Abelin (Baroque Violin) (2002). Music of Russian Princesses From the Court of Catherine the Great (CD). Dorian Recordings. DOR-93244.
Timofeyev, Oleg (2004). Guitar in the GULag: Guitar Music by Matvei Pavlov-Azancheev, 1888–1963 (CD). Hänssler Records. 098458000.
Timofeyev, Oleg, Kolpakov Trio & Talisman (2005). A Tribute to Stesha: Early Music of Russian Gypsies (CD). Naxos World Music. 76065-2.
Timofeyev, Oleg & John Schneiderman (2006). Music Of Mikhail Glinka / The Czar's Guitars (CD). Profil – Edition Günter Hänssler. PH-07008.
Timofeyev, Oleg (guitar), Natalia Timofeyeva (cello), Robert Paredes (clarinet), Matthew Burrier (accordion) & Daniel Moore (percussion) (2007). Rhapsody Judaica (CD). Marquis Music. MAR-349.
Timofeyev, Oleg (2007). Shavlego: Guitar Music by Georgian Composers (CD). Profil – Edition Günter Hänssler. PH-07072.
Timofeyev, Oleg Vitalyevich (1999). The Golden Age of the Russian Guitar: Repertoire, Performance Practice, and Social Function of the Russian Seven-String Guitar Music, 1800–1850 (Ph.D. dissertation (UMI Number: 9928880)). Ann Arbor, Michigan: Department of Music, Duke University.
Timofeyev, Oleg; Gölz, Sabine I. (2008). Frautschi (DVD). Arbatfilm.
Олег Витальевич ТимофеевArchived 2010-06-09 at the Wayback Machine – 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)
Classical music
