Oleg Kagan

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Oleg Kagan (22 November 1946–15 July 1990) was a Russian violinist, known for his chamber partnerships with the likes of pianist Sviatoslav Richter and cellist Natalia Gutman. 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.

Born in Sakhalin, Kagan was brought up in Riga, Latvia. He began studying at the E. Darzina Music School at age eight under Joachim Braun; five years later, he was taken to Moscow by 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.