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The Russian pianist and pedagogue, Margarita Alexyeevna Fyodorova [Fiodorova, Fiedorova, Feodorova, Fjedorova , Fjedorowa, Margareta Fjodorowa], graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory as one of Heinrich Neuhaus's favoured students (Emil Gilels and Sviatoslav Richter preceded her by a few years). As one of an elite corps chosen to participate in the International Bach Competition in Leipzig in 1950, where Dmitri Shostakovich would adjudicate, Fyodorova had prepared her program well. But a week before she was scheduled to depart, the Dean of the conservatory informed her that her work was not yet finished: she would have to add the Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) to her program to increase her chances of success. "But I've never studied the Goldberg Variations" she protested, to the Dean's deaf ear and his even more deafening silence. But her resolve was as steely as her discipline was great. She did indeed learn and memorize the entire work in one week, claiming victory as the silver prize-winner in that contest, astride Tatiana Nikolayeva's gold and Jörg Demus's bronze. She was also a laureate at the Smetana Competition in Prague.
Margarita Fyodorova has an unusually large repertoire, including 70 piano concerti, and she has given the premiere of some works. In 1957 D. Shostakovich asked her to give the premiere of his Second Piano Concerto. She has made herself a name as a Scriabin interpreter, but also played J.S. Bach, L.v. Beethoven (she recorded his Diabelli Variations c1978), Schubert and Frédéric Chopin. She has performed throughout Europe and in the USA. In the early 1990’s she made two concert tours to the USA awarded by a grant from the Soros Foundation, and played a handful of engagements in a sprinkling of college towns.
Margarita Fyodorova has been Professor for Piano at the Moscow State Conservatory for many years. She was the piano teacher of Dan Alleger, Jaime Garcia-Bolao, Lyudmila Chudinova (1989-1991), Nikolai Choubine, Masha Dimitrieva, Anna Levy, Saya Sayantsetseg, Amanda Virelles and John Bell Young, among many others. |
