Maxim Pletnev was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. He started playing the violin at age of 7 and completed the music school program with a certificate by age of 16. After that he was accepted to the Rostov’s College of Fine Arts in 1991 and graduated with Bachelor of Music in 1995. During his college years he attend a number of music festivals and competitions, one of which was the South Russia Competition where he received second prize. In 1995 he was accepted, with scholarship, by the Rachmaninoff Conservatory in Rostov-on-Don, where he completed the degree of Master of Music in 2000. 

Since moving to Canada in 2000 he has played in the Regina Symphony Orchestra, Timmins Symphony Orchestra (and other Ontario orchestras), and is currently a member of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra.