Michail Pletnev

Mikhail Pletnev is widely recognized as one of the greatest pianists of our time — an artist
whose interpretations combine technical brilliance, intellectual depth, and poetic insight. Born in
1957, he entered the Moscow Conservatory in 1974 at the age of 17, and by 21 had earned
international acclaim as the winner of the 1978 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition.

Pletnev discography is both extensive and celebrated. His recordings have received numerous
international awards, including the Diapason d’Or, ECHO Klassik, Choc du Monde de la
Musique, and a Gramophone Award. His interpretation of Scarlatti's sonatas was hailed by BBC
Music Magazine as "piano playing at its greatest… this performance alone would be enough to
secure Pletnev a place among the greatest pianists ever known." The New Yorker selected his
complete Beethoven symphonies and concertos as one of the "Best Recordings of 2007."

His Grammy Award in 2005 for his own arrangement of Prokofiev’s Cinderella highlights his
distinctive voice not only as a performer but also as a musical thinker. Grammy nominations for
his Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes and Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev concertos further
underscore his versatility and authority across a wide repertoire.

Pletnev’s artistry continues to captivate audiences worldwide, with critics regularly noting the
individuality and depth of his interpretations. The Guardian described his playing as
"extraordinary: refined, searching, and utterly compelling." According to The Telegraph, "his
performances are never routine; there is always a sense of discovery, of music being rethought
and reborn."

He collaborates regularly with leading orchestras across Europe, Asia, and North America, and is
a frequent guest at major international festivals such as the BBC Proms, Schleswig-Holstein,
Verbier, La Roque d’Anthéron, and Rheingau. A committed artistic collaborator, Pletnev
continues to shape innovative cross-cultural projects and explore new forms of musical dialogue
on the global stage — combining performance, conducting, and artistic direction.
Also a distinguished composer, Pletnev has written extensively for orchestra, solo instruments,
and voice. His arrangements for piano of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty
have become benchmarks of pianistic virtuosity, studied and performed by leading pianists
around the world.

Pianist, conductor, composer — Pletnev’s contributions to music are profound, and yet, with
characteristic modesty, he prefers to define himself in the simplest terms: "I am," he says, "just
a musician."