Maksim Betekhtin (b. 1995, Syktyvkar) is a Russian conductor and pianist emerging as a dynamic force in the country’s classical music scene. A graduate with honours from the piano department of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (class of Prof. Olga Zhukova), he is currently studying orchestral and opera conducting under Prof. Vladimir Ponkin at the same institution. Since February 2024, he has been a member of the Second Conductor-Assistant Group of the renowned Moscow Virtuosi orchestra under Vladimir Spivakov. In 2020, he founded the Okolobaha Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble dedicated to performing both classical masterworks and cutting-edge contemporary music, active in Moscow’s concert life.
Betekhtin has earned recognition in international competitions, including First Prize at the International Kabalevsky Piano Competition (2017) and the Ippolitov-Ivanov Brass Music Festival (2021). He has participated in the educational programs of the Diaghilev Festival in Perm under Teodor Currentzis and performed in concert halls across Europe, including in Italy, Germany, Finland, and Romania. An artist of wide-ranging interests, he is active in symphonic, operatic, choral, and chamber repertoire, as well as historically informed performance and collaborative piano, particularly in lied and chamber music.
Launched a concert series marking Beethoven’s 250th anniversary (2021) with support from the Komi Republic State Opera and Ballet Theater.
Participated in the Diaghilev Festival’s educational program under Teodor Currentzis (from June 2021).
Founded and leads the Okolobaha Chamber Orchestra (since 2020), promoting diverse repertoire from Baroque to new music.
Competed in the Hans von Bülow International Piano and Conducting Competition (2023).
Joined the Moscow Virtuosi as Assistant Conductor (February 2024), working under Vladimir Spivakov.
