Graduate of the Moscow Conservatory studying with Prof. Vera Gornostayeva (2013); he is continuing his studies as a postgraduate student and intern. In 2010 he was a prize winner at the 15th Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition in Salt Lake City (USA), and he also took second prize in the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. In 2012 he was awarded the Deutscher Pianistenpreis. In the 2014-15 season he débuted in London’s Wigmore Hall and in Paris at the Louvre Auditorium. In 2013 he was on the programme of the Stars of the 21st Century of the Moscow Philharmonic. He has recorded for the NIFC, Art Classic, DUX and other labels.
Which people would you invite as guests to your dream dinner party?
The ones that are destined to be. In general, I tend to share meals with my close relatives and friends since this regrettably does not happen often.
What is your favorite meal?
Rice.
Do you have a favorite motto or proverb that you live your life by?
To be flexible enough to change one's motto regularly.
Which person or people inspire you the most?
If I am assigned to point out a single person among our contemporaries, it will be composer Leonid Desyatnikov.
If you were 80 years old, what advice would you give to young people today?
I'd better wait 55 more years until I have the right answer, unless I am dead. If improvising on a this I'd probably advise (since I have only experienced 25 years so far) to faithfully focus on studies and work with a maximum dedication for the first two decades of life in order to gather a good harvest later on.
What would you like people to say about you?
Rostropovich once said: "Whatever they speak, the important thing is that they speak!"
How do you overcome the stage fright? / What is your ritual before going on stage?
As with a majority of artists, I am not able to overcome it completely which is, in a way, a great thing. Once you are completely liberated from anxiety, something essential might start to disappear from the performance.
When you perform... who are you playing for?
I am not sure there is someone, rather I should say I play for the sake of Beauty itself.
What job would you least like to do?
Well, probably a driving instructor.
Is there a joke about musicians that you would like to share with us?
The best of them are obscene, sorry!
What's the "most played" non-classical track on your phone?
"Sleep" by Max & Harvey.
You are on a desert island and can bring only 3 items, what do you bring?
If this is apart from water and food I would bring piano (or pianino), an iPad with a lot of scores and infinite battery, and a bicycle.
What is your favorite noise/sound? What is the most annoying noise for you?
I like the distinction between noise and sound so my answer would be that I like majority of sounds and avoid majority of noises.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I'd still prefer to stay where I live!
What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word Tchaikovsky?
I always think of his late portrait.
What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word competition?
Tchaikovsky.
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