Maxim Shalygin (born January 30, 1985) is a Ukrainian-Dutch composer, conductor, and performer known for his innovative compositions that blend a wide range of techniques.
Shalygin began studying composition at the age of sixteen under Iryna Ivashenko in his hometown Kamianske (then Dniprodzerzhynsk). In 2004, he studied for a year with Boris Tishchenko at the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory. He earned his first master's degree in 2010 from the Ukrainian National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music in Kyiv, Ukraine, studying under Ihor Shcherbakov and influenced by composer Svyatoslav Lunyov. In 2011, he received a second master's degree from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in the Netherlands, where he studied with Cornelis de Bondt and Diderik Wagenaar.
In 2010, Shalygin relocated to the Netherlands, where he has composed over 40 works across various genres, including chamber music, vocal music, symphonic pieces, electroacoustic music, and scores for theatre, ballet, opera, and film. His compositions are noted for expanding traditional playing techniques, maintaining a tonal language, and avoiding avant-garde radicalism.
Shalygin's works have been performed at numerous international venues and festivals, such as Gaudeamus Muziekweek in the Netherlands, and Klarafestival in Belgium. Ensembles like Asko/Schönberg, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, and Slagwerk Den Haag as well as among others soloists like Antonii Baryshevskyi (piano), Anna Fedorova (piano), Maya Fridman (cello), Natalia Gordeyeva (violin), Tomoko Mukaiyama (piano), Emmy Storms (violin), and Diana Tishchenko (violin) have featured his compositions.
In 2016, Shalygin founded the Shapeshift Ensemble in the Netherlands, initiating the S I M I L A R project, a multi-chapter cycle exploring the intimate and transformative power of specific instruments and ensembles. Each chapter is dedicated to a unique instrumental combination, showcasing their expressive potential in innovative ways.
To date, the project includes:
Amandante is Shalygin's first opera, which premiered on October 2, 2024, at the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam. The opera is inspired by Plato's Symposium and explores the dynamics of love and desire. Dutch reviews of 'Amandante' are predominantly positive. NRC praises the âÂÂmasterful dramaturgyâ and the âÂÂtriumph of musical imaginationâÂÂ, with the performance offering a âÂÂrollercoaster of emotionsâÂÂ. de Volkskrant calls the opera a âÂÂpompous potpourri of over-familiar musical stylesâ and finds the scenes disjointed. Theaterkrant describes the music as a 'kind of Philip Glass in overdrive', with repetitive motifs leading to intense climaxes. The performance was provided by Ukrainian ensemble Nova Opera, which continues to strive for innovative musical theatre despite the war in their homeland. The production combines music with visual elements, such as the video âÂÂOmbre indigèneâ by artist Edith Dekyndt, adding to the opera's complex and layered experience.
Fetus ÃÂtudes is a cycle of piano études:
The following list consists of studio albums of compositions by Maxim Shalygin.
As of 2024, Shalygin continues to reside and work in the Netherlands, actively composing and participating in various musical projects and festivals worldwide.