Maxim Novikov was born in Moscow. He started learning the violin aged six.
In 1989 he entered the Academic Music College of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire as violist and in 1993 he entered the Conservatoire itself (class of Yuri Bashmet).
The composers Georgs PelΔcis, Tolib Shahidi, Aivars Kaleijs, Vache Sharafyan, Eduard Airapetian and Pavel Karmanov have dedicated viola pieces to Novikov.
He has a successful career appearing with chamber ensembles and has worked with well-known musicians including Kirill Petrenko, Anita Rachvelishvili, Aivars KalΔjs, Andy Miles, Polina Osetinskaya, Jacob Katsnelson, Boris Andrianov, Denis Shapovalov, Nikoloz Rachvelli, Sergei Smbatyan, Zhang Guoyong, En Shao, Kuss Quartet, New Russian Quartetβ¦
Novikov has performed as a soloist with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, the Orchester der Niederschlesischen Philharmonie Jelenia GΓ³ra (Hirschberg), the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia, the Charlemagne Orchestra for Europe and many others...