Graf Mourja was born in Vilak, Ukraine in 1973. He started to learn the violin with his father at the age of 3. By the age of 9 he was a student of Irina Botchkova at the Central School for child prodigies in Moscow, who was to remain his teacher until he finished his studies at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Mourja then attended a postgraduate performing course at the Royal Academy of Music, London.

Competition prizes and grants

1990: The Paganini, Genoa.
1991: Vianna da Motta, Lisbon.
1994: Tchaikovsky, Moscow.
1994: Chosen as the Laureat Juventus, Council of Europe.
1996: Jacques Thibaud-Ville de Paris.
1997: Sarasate.
1999: Viotti-Valsesia, Rome.
2002: UNISA, Pretoria.

Orchestras and Concert tours

Since 1996: Mourja has been a regular guest of the Théâtre de la Ville de Paris and has also performed in the prestigious festivals of Colmar, Menton, Île de France, Côte Basque and Divonne - where Christian Zacharias chose him as partner –

S. Graf Mourja

the Châtelet theatre in Paris, Radio France, l’Orchestre National de France, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France…

2005 and 2006: He performed the Tchaikovsky Concerto with the Orchestre Lamoureux directed by Yutaka Sado at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris.
2007: He performed with Orchestre National d’Île de France, as well as in major concert halls in Italy, Hungary, Great Britain and Korea. In Russia he has long been recognized as the leading violinist of his generation.

Radio and TV recordings

Since 2000: Recordings for Harmonia Mundi including recital in the Nouveaux Interpretes collection (Ravel, Schnittke, Szymanowski with Elena Rozanova, piano).
Prokofiev’s two concertos for Harmonia Mundi’s Le chant du monde label.
2002: Stravinski- Szymanowski recital (with Natalia Gous, piano), Harmonia Mundi, that received a “10 de Repertoire” and “Recommande par Classica”.
2004:
• “Le violon vagabond” (The Wandering Violin), a recording of rare virtuoso pieces for the same publisher, also with the pianist Natalia Gous, carried off all the French awards: "Diapason d'Or", "Choc du Monde de la Musique", "Évènement du mois de Répertoire / Classica", "Le Choix de France Inter", "Classique d'Or de RTL" in March 2004, and also received an enthusiastic review in "Le Monde".
• Shostakovitch’s Op. 134 Sonata, Harmonia Mundi.