Aleksey Raev was born in 1982 in Moscow. A horn player and representative of a musical dynasty, he is the grandson of V. F. Raev (1924–2003) and son of A. V. Raev (1953–2014), Honoured Artist of Russia (2008) and member of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra (horn) from 1977 to 1982.
In 2001 he graduated from the Music College at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (class of R. P. Matikyan), in 2006 from the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music (class of V. S. Shish), and in 2010 he completed a postgraduate assistant traineeship there.
Prize‑winner of performers’ competitions:
- Third Prize at the International Competition in Moscow (1997);
- First Prize at the All‑Russian N. A. Rimsky‑Korsakov Competition in St Petersburg (2000);
- First Prize at the International GRAND MUSIC ART Competition (2020);
- First Prize at the International FORTE Arts Cup Competition (2020).
He joined the Stage and Wind Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia in 1998. Since 2002 he has been principal horn of the main orchestra and a soloist.
Aleksey Raev is distinguished by his sense of responsibility, impeccable command of his duties both as a musician and as leader of the horn section. In his artistic work he has established himself as a performer of the highest calibre: his horn solos are always of great artistic quality and may serve as a model for all his colleagues.
As orchestra soloist Raev performs the most demanding orchestral horn solos in the theatre’s productions, including the ballets «La Sylphide» by H. Løvenskiold, «Anyuta» by V. A. Gavrilin, «La Fille mal gardée» by P. Hertel, «The Bright Stream» by D. D. Shostakovich, «Romeo and Juliet» by S. S. Prokofiev, «Cipollino» by A. I. Khachaturian, «Le Corsaire» by A. Adam and «Raymonda» by A. K. Glazunov, as well as in the operas «Eugene Onegin» by P. I. Tchaikovsky, «Falstaff» by G. Verdi, «The Snow Maiden» by N. A. Rimsky‑Korsakov, «Der fliegende Holländer» by R. Wagner and «Wozzeck» by A. Berg.
He has been a member of brass ensembles since 2005. He took part in the opening concert of the new Beethoven Hall of the Bolshoi Theatre (2012). Since 2012 he has been a laureate of the Board of Trustees’ Prize of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia and, since 2013, a member of the Bolshoi Theatre Wind Quintet.
In 2013 he graduated with honours from the Master’s Programme in Management at the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music. Since 2014 he has taught at the Brass and Percussion Department of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Associate Professor since 2019). Since 2021 he has been Associate Professor at the Brass Department of the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music.
