Born in 1974, he began his career as a solo violinist at the age of five, won the Wieniawski and Carl Flesch international competitions at ages 10 and 15 respectively, studied with Galina Tourchaninova and Zakhar Bron, made his first recording at the age of 10, and went on to record for high-profile labels including Melodia, Teldec, Deutsche Gramophone and Warner, earning among others, Grammy and Gramophone artist of the year awards.

In 2020, Vengerov became Classic FM’s first solo artist in residence and released a new recording of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with conductor Myung-Whun Chung and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, coupled with works by Saint- Saëns and Ravel. A new live video recording of the Tchaikovsky Concerto from the Konzerthaus Vienna concert from November 2025 with Maestro Chung and the Tokyo Philharmonic orchestra is now available on Maxim Vengerov’s YouTube channel as well as Mezzo and Medici. He also made a live recording of his 2018 Carnegie Hall recital.

In recent years, Vengerov has opened the season of the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala with Riccardo Chailly and the Shanghai International Music Festival with Christoph Eschenbach. He also celebrated 40 years on stage with a sold-out Royal Albert Hall concert, performing both Brahms’s Violin Concerto and Double Concerto, and toured in recital around the world. His 50th birthday celebrations in the 2024–2025 season included the launch of his three-season Perspectives series at Carnegie Hall which will see him perform over 12 concerts over the next three seasons partnering up with other famous musicians including Ivan Fischer, Evgeny Kissin, Yefim Bronfman, Alisa Weilerstein, Steven Isserliss, Sir Antonio Pappano and Martha Argerich.

One of Vengerov’s greatest passions is teaching. He has held positions at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, and Royal Academy and Royal College of Music in London. In 2018, he became the Goodwill Ambassador of the Musica Mundi School, a unique institution that supports young talents. In order to make music education more accessible, he established his own online teaching platform in January 2021 at maximvengerov.com.

Vengerov has received numerous awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance and a World Economic Forum Crystal Award in 2007. He was also named a chevalier of the Ordre du Mérite Culturel from the palace in Monte Carlo, where he resides. In 1997, he became the first classical musician to be appointed International Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF, which has enabled him to continue to inspire children worldwide through music. He plays the ex-Kreutzer Stradivari (1727), among other violins.