Born in 1975 in Novosibirsk to a family of musicians, he studied the violin in the School for Gifted Children of the Leningrad Conservatory in 1982 and later at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. He has won many international competitions and was the 1996 laureate of All-German Wagner Society. In 1995 Mr. Popov performed for the first time with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic. He performs chamber music in St. Petersburg, has participated in recordings and teaches at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. He also conducts master classes in Russia, Finland, France and the United States.