Obituary: Rinat Ibragimov (1960-2020)

Guildhall School is deeply saddened to hear of the death of Rinat Ibragimov, Professor of Double Bass at Guildhall. Rinat joined the School shortly after his appointment as Principal Double Bass of the London Symphony Orchestra in 1995. Prior to the LSO, Rinat had been Principal of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra.

Our Vice Principal & Director of Music, Jonathan Vaughan, writes:

“I had the privilege of being a member of Rinat’s bass section and working under him for 7 years at the LSO. We continued our very happy working association at the Guildhall over the last 14 years; right up to the moment of lockdown this year. Even after suffering a major stroke in 2014, which tragically left him unable to play, Rinat remained passionate and determined in his teaching at Guildhall. He was deeply loved by his students and has inspired a new generation of players to continue his legacy.

Rinat was the player of his generation. To this day, I have never heard anyone play solo bass the way he could. The most musical of performers, his technical prowess was second to none. As a Principal, his musical and professional integrity electrified performances; driving us all to higher levels of attainment. His love of music and his quiet spirituality filled every aspect of his life. He was an absolute joy to work with; deadly serious about music but full of fun and mischief too. Rinat was one of the very finest human beings that I have had the privilege to call a friend and we will all be the poorer for his passing. Our hearts go out to Lutsia, Alina and Timur at this desperately sad time.”

Rinat studied bass at the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire in Moscow with professor Evgeny Kolosov and conducting with Dmitri Kitaenko. He won first prizes in the All-Union Double Bass Competition in 1984 and in the Giovanni Bottesini International competition in Parma, Italy, in 1989.

He was formerly Principal Double Bass of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, the Moscow Academy of Ancient Music baroque ensemble, The Soloists of the Moscow Philharmonic, and professor at the Moscow Conservatoire.

Rinat was conductor and artistic director of the Moscow Instrumental Capella and was Principal Double Bass with the London Symphony Orchestra.