Alexander Melnikov studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Lev Naumov and was influenced early on by Sviatoslav Richter. He won prizes at competitions including the Robert Schumann Competition in Zwickau and the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels. Known for his idiosyncratic programming, he developed an early affinity for historically informed performance practice under the influence of Andreas Staier and Alexei Lubimov, with whom he regularly collaborates.
Melnikov performs as a soloist with leading orchestras worldwide and often plays with prominent Baroque and period ensembles. A passionate chamber musician, he works intensively with musicians such as Isabelle Faust and Jean-Guihen Queyras. His recordings for harmonia mundi - including Shostakovich's Preludes and Fugues and the complete Beethoven violin sonatas - have won international awards and are considered reference recordings.
In recent years, he has realised a variety of projects involving historical instruments and repertoire, including Many Pianos and Fantasie. As artist-in-residence at the Wiener Konzerthaus (2024/25), he continues to be active worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician.
