Born in 1984 in Odessa, Ukraine, Ivan Zavgorodniy studied at the Odessa Special Musical School named after Professor P. Stolyarskiy between the years 1990 and 2001. Beginning in 1996, he studied under the renowned double bassist, V. Chekalyuk. Ivan continued his studies at the Odessa Music Academy where he earned his Bachelor of Music in Double Bass Performance. In 2003, he became the First Prize Winner of the International Evgen Koka Competition in Kishinev, Moldova. He has also received two First Prizes in the chamber ensembles sections (in 2003 and 2006) as well as the Second Prize in the solo performance section (in 2005) in the International Competition “Art of XXI Century” in Kiev, Ukraine. From 2003 to 2008, Ivan held a position in the National Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra after which he continued his studies under the great double bassist and teacher Rinat Ibragimov at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he earned his Master of Music in Double Bass Performance. In September 2009, Ivan won Third Prize in ARD’s International Music Competition. In 2012, Ivan accepted the position of solo double bass in Stavanger Symphony Orchestra as well as part-time professor at the University of Stavanger. He currently still holds both positions along with a position at the “Adagio” Musikkinstitut in Stavanger, Norway, which he accepted in 2018.