Viktoria Mullova studied at the Central Music School of Moscow and the Moscow Conservatoire. Her extraordinary talent captured international attention when she won first prize at the 1980 Sibelius Competition in Helsinki and the Gold Medal at the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1982 which was followed, in 1983, by her dramatic and much publicized defection to the West. She has since appeared with most of the world’s greatest orchestras and conductors and at the major international festivals. She is now known the world over as a violinist of exceptional versatility and musical integrity. Her curiosity spans the breadth of musical development from baroque and classical right up to the most contemporary influences from the world of fusion and experimental music.

Her interest in the authentic approach has led to collaborations with period instrument bands such as the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Il Giardino Armonico, Venice Baroque and Orchestre Révolutionaire et Romantique. Viktoria has a great affinity with Bach and his work makes up a large part of her recording catalogue. Her interpretations of Bach have been acclaimed worldwide and led Tim Ashley to write, “To hear Mullova play Bach is, simply, one of the greatest things you can experience…” in the Guardian. Her disc of Bach Concerti with the Accademia Bizantina and Ottavio Dantone was highly praised and her recording of Bach’s solo sonatas and partitas represents a significant milestone in Viktoria’s personal journey into this music. The recording received 5-star reviews from all over the world and she has embarked on an international several season-long, series of solo Bach recitals.

Her ventures into creative contemporary music started in 2000 with her album “Through the Looking Glass” in which she played world, jazz and pop music arranged for her by Matthew Barley. This exploration continued with her second album ‘The Peasant Girl’ which she has toured around the world with the Matthew Barley Ensemble. This project shows a different side to Viktoria as she looks to her peasant roots in the Ukraine and explores the influence of gypsy music on the classical and jazz genres in the 20th Century. This was followed by “Stradivarius in Rio” , inspired by her love of Brazilian songs by composers such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Caetano Veloso and Claudio Nucci. A CD of the same name was enthusiastically received . As well as her own projects, she has also commissioned works from young composers such as Fraser Trainer, Thomas Larcher and Dai Fujikura. In 2017, Pascal Dusapin wrote his concerto for violin and cello, At Swim-Two-Birds for Viktoria Mullova and Matthew Barley, with them giving the premiere in Amsterdam followed by performances in London, Paris, Seattle and Leipzig. This rich musical diversity has been celebrated in several high-profile residencies, including London’s Southbank, Vienna’s Konzerthaus, the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, Musikfest Bremen, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Music Festival.

Highlights of Viktoria’s 2025/26 season will include extensive touring across Asia, performing with the Korean National Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Taiwan, Guangzhou Symphony & NCPA Orchestra, in addition to being this season’s Artist-in-Residence with the Hangzhou Philharmonic. Viktoria also returns to the Halle Orchestra for a multi-city tour of the UK, debuts with The Mozartists, and brings her innovative string ensemble project based on Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) to Bremen & Utrecht.

Viktoria continues her collaboration with pianist Alasdair Beatson playing Beethoven and Schubert on gut strings and fortepiano. In September 2024, the duo completed the final recording their Beethoven violin sonata series and will tour the complete cycle across Europe & Asia in 2026/27 to mark the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death.

Other projects also include “Music We Love”; a duo partnership her son, bass player Misha Mullov-Abbado, featuring his original compositions, arrangements of a variety of world music, jazz arrangements and works by Schumann and Bach.

Viktoria’s extensive discography has garnered widespread critical acclaim, highlighting her breadth of work and versatility. Her recordings feature works ranging from Bach & Vivaldi through core classical & romantic repertoire, to the complete works of Arvo Pärt with Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Paavo Järvi. Her recordings of the Vivaldi Concertos with Il Giardino Armonico and directed by Giovanni Antonini, Bach Sonatas with Ottavio Dantone & Beethoven’s Archduke Trio with André Previn and Heinrich Schiff have all received prestigious Diapason D’Or awards. Other lauded releasees include Beethoven’s Op.12, No.3 and Kreutzer Sonatas with Kristian Bezuidenhout, “Music We Love” with Misha Mullov-Abbado, “Stradivarius in Rio”, an exploration of Brazilian music, “Recital” celebrating her extensive collaboration with Katia Labèque & “The Peasant Girl”, reflecting the phenomenal influence of gypsy music on both classical and jazz music in the 20th century.