Vasily Safonov

Vasily Ilyich Safonov (Russian Василий Ильич Сафонов, scientific transliteration Vasily Safonov Il'ič; born February 6, 1852 in Ischtscherskaja, Caucasus, † February 27, 1918 in Kislovodsk ) was a Russian pianist and conductor.

Safonov, son of a Cossack officer, completed a degree in law at the Military Law Academy Saint Petersburg, as well as a gold medal, a piano studies at the St. Petersburg Conservatory with Theodor Leschetitzky. He also studied with Louis Brassin. From 1881 to 1885 he taught piano at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. In 1885 he transferred to the Moscow Conservatory, which he became director in 1889. His piano students included until 1905, when he gave up the position, Alexander Scriabin, Nikolai Medtner and Josef and Rosina Lhévinne.

From 1889 to 1905 and from 1909 to 1911 he also conducted the symphony concerts of the Imperial Russian Music Society Moscow. Safonov used as a conductor, unusual at that time, no baton. From 1906 to 1909 he was musical director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and director of the National Conservatory of Music New York. Until his death he was a guest conductor of most major European orchestras, including the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic, Orchestre Lamoureux or the London Symphony Orchestra.