Maxim Shalygin was born 1985 in Kamianske, Ukraine. His compositions include chamber, vocal, symphonic, electro-acoustic music, as well as music for theatre, ballet and film. As a composer he extends the traditional array of playing techniques. Shalygin is out at unfolding the sounds of the instruments in all their congenial sonority. No academic formulas hence, nor avant-garde radicalisms, but rather a self-conceived scale of playing techniques in its own right that never severs the ties with sonority, and thus allows for maintaining a thoroughly tonal language. Leading contemporary music ensembles who have performed his works include Asko|Schönberg, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, DoelenKwartet, Nieuw Ensemble, Slagwerk Den Haag, Amstel Quartet and Keuris Quartet. He currently lives and works in the Netherlands.