Violinist Daniel Kurganov, praised for his "extraordinary fervor, commitment, and technical prowess" (Classics Today), stands in the direct lineage of Jascha Heifetz through his mentor Rudolf Koelman, bridging 20th-century masters with modern scholarship and analytical precision.

Recent solo concerts include Merkin Hall, BargeMusic, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and Harvard Musical Association. Daniel performs in the Aegis Trio with pianist Constantine Finehouse and cellist Daniel Lelchuk, performing last season at the Castleton Festival in VA, the Frederick Collection of Historical Instruments, and Amherst College. Daniel also participated in the Violins of Hope project, performing on an instrument rescued from Auschwitz. He was recently loaned the 'ex-Kneisel' Stradivari from 1714.

Through his Boston Violin Intensive, international masterclasses, and 100,000-subscriber online community, he has emerged as a leading voice in contemporary pedagogy. Featured regularly in The Strad and voted "Best of The Strad 2021," his teaching integrates tradition, technology, and psychology. In 2025, he was a visiting violin instructor at Boston University College of Fine Arts. He is also violin faculty at the Shkolnikova Academy in Sèvremont, France. Daniel has given masterclasses most recently at Boston Conservatory, Boston University, the University of Maryland, Münster, Germany and Racine Wisconsin.

Daniel is also the founder of Arco.app, a platform that reimagines how musical knowledge is preserved and passed down—turning ephemeral lessons into a permanent, intelligent resource that grows with every session.

Daniel’s studio recordings include a 2018 debut album, world premieres by Lera Auerbach and Richard Beaudoin (Orchid Classics, 2021), and the complete Brahms Violin Sonatas on historical instruments (Hänssler Classics, 2023), which earned a 10/10 rating from Jed Distler.

Born in Minsk and raised in Chicago, he holds a Master's from the Zurich University of the Arts.

[2018] Debut album featuring works by Brahms, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Rachmaninoff and Schemmer (Spice Classics) 
[2021] World-premiere recordings of the music of Lera Auerbach and Richard Beaudoin and works by Cage an Messiaen (Orchid Classics). 
[2023] Complete Brahms Violin Sonatas pairing a 1706 Guarneri violin (strung with sheep gut) with original 19th-c pianos (Haenssler Classics) 

“They play with extraordinary fervor, commitment, and technical prowess, and it would be hard to beat these exceptionally well-engineered world-premiere recordings.” — ClassicsToday (2021) 

“The extremely close recording captures every last sound as bow contacts string or left-hand shifts position… it adds a vivid immediacy to Kurganov’s already searing performance.” — The Strad Magazine (2022) 

“Ingratiatingly idiomatic violinistic personality.” — Fanfare Magazine

”…with contagious, dramatic musicality they bring the program together beautifully… the expression remains elegant and unsentimental.” — Klassisk Magazine, Copenhagen (2021) 

“Kurganov gives a tour de force performance, superbly impassioned.” — ArtsFuse Journal (2018) 

”…a top-notch CD… an outstanding performance of Messiaen’s Thème et variations.” — The WholeNote (2021) 

“Kurganov’s violin empowered with penetrating colors and expert phrase shapes…” — The Boston Musical Intelligencer (2018) 

“The duo’s fine musicianship was on display throughout, channeling pathos and joy using the full possibilities of their instruments.” — The Boston Musical Intelligencer (2021) 

“With their combined dramatic musicality, they bring the Brahms sonatas to life.” — Uwe Krusch, Pizzicato Magazine 

“Kurganov and Finehouse achieve alluring lightness and transparency, along with an uncommon equality of ensemble blend where nothing gets buried in the mix.” — Jed Distler (2023) 

“Kurganov and Finehouse display uncanny synchronicity in shaping Brahms’ cross-rhythmic phrases across the barlines, generating tension by way of the subtlest tempo adjustments. Kurganov employs vibrato judiciously, and on occasion sneaks in just a hint of upward portamento à la Kreisler or Elman when reiterating a motive.” — Jed Distler (2023)