Biography

Evgeny Kissin's piano performances have earned him rave reviews around the world. This piano prodigy is already considered a living legend in the classical world, at only 43 years old.

Born to Jewish parents from Moscow, Evgeny Kissin was introduced to the piano by his mother, who was a teacher.

At the age of 6, he joined one of the most competitive music academies in the world: the famous Gnessin Russian Academy of Music. It was Anna Pavlovna Kantor who perfected his training, and allowed him to present his first performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 at the age of 10. At the age of 11, the young Kissin gave his first recital in Russia; and at 13, he accompanied the prestigious Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Dimitri Kitaienko.

After several performances all over Europe, Kissin, who wanted to open up to other influences, flew to the United States. He participated in the Grammy Awards, but returned to Europe where he was more in his element. Since his debut, the young prodigy has had a very marked tendency towards the classical and timeless compositions of Beethoven, Chopin, Haydn or Bach for whom the pianist has boundless admiration. His rich repertoire of 48 albums includes a large number of his best-known recitals: Evgeny Kissin Plays Chopin (2007); Kissin-Ludwig van Beethoven "The Complete Piano Concertos"; and Kissin Plays Liszt in 2011 are examples among others of very well-known albums unanimously appreciated by classical music professionals.

The awards received by this talented pianist are as many odes of recognition to his exceptional musical performances. Naturalized as a British citizen in 2002, Kissin received the Musical America Award for Instrumentalist of the Year in 1994; a Grammy Award for Best Solo Instrumental Performance in 2006, and another Grammy for the same solo performance with orchestra in 2010. His performances on the album Evgeny Kissin Plays Chopin have also helped establish the pianist as a popular and meticulous performer, who stands out from contemporary pianists, but brings a unique class and sonority to the works of the great masters of classical music.