Sergei Istomin — violoncello, viola da gamba

(Russian: Хохлов, or Истомин, Сергей Николаевич) is a cellist and a viola da gamba player. He began his violoncello studies at the Gnessin State Musical College,  Moscow, Russia, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree (violoncello class of Mrs. Vera Birina). He completed his master’s degree at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory (violoncello class of Valentin Feigin). Later he had his post-graduate studies with Catharina Meints Caldwell at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (Oberlin, Ohio, USA), and August Wenzinger at the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute (BPI). In 2018, he received his Doctor of Arts (Music) degree at Ghent University, Belgium. The title of his doctoral thesis title was «Variations on a Rococo theme, Op.33: Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Fitzenhagen: a creative collaboration. Moscow and Saint Petersburg violoncello schools in the light of European traditions: a historical and textological clarification».

Sergei Istomin has performed solo and chamber music recitals in many European and North American Festivals. His repertoire includes baroque, classical, romantic, and contemporary music on both period and modern instruments. 

Sergei Istomin has recorded for Sony Classical; Analekta, CBC (Canada); Centaur Records, Music and Arts Programs of America (USA); Passacaille Records (Belgium) and Zig-Zag Territoires (France).

Today he lives in Belgium, from where he continues his international career.