Evgeny Kissin

Evgeny Kissin, born in 1971, Russian pianist, born in Moscow, educated at the Gnessin School of Music for Gifted Children in Moscow. At age six Kissin began studying with Anna Pavlovna Kantor, who continued as his only teacher, an unorthodox beginning, since prodigies were usually directed to the prestigious Moscow Conservatory. At twelve he performed both Chopin piano concertos with the Moscow Philharmonic. He established an international reputation performing Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto with Herbert von Karajan conducting the Berlin Philharmonic (1987). A subsequent concert in Tokyo was also recorded live and released as Kissin in Tokyo (1987). He made his U.S. debut in September 1990, playing Chopin's First Piano Concerto with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Zubin Mehta. Ten days later he gave a recital at Carnegie Hall that was recorded and released as a two-CD set, Kissin at Carnegie Hall, complete with four encores. He also recorded works by Haydn, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich ( Kissin: A Musical Portrait); his performance repertory also included Schumann, Liszt, and Beethoven. He was widely acclaimed for his technical skill and his interpretive capacity.