Denis Kozhukhin

The Grieg Mendelssohn Album is one of Gramophone’s Best New Classical Albums for September

Denis Kozhukhin’s new album with a selection Grieg’s Lyric Pieces and Mendelssohn’s Lieder ohne Worte is one of Gramophone’s “Best New Classical Albums for September!
Read the full review here.

2018-2019 Season Kick-off

17/18 season

Denis Kozhukhin started the 17/18 season with his debut with NHK Symphony Orchestra led by Paavo Järvi, performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 4, followed by his return to Philharmonia Orchestra performing the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini under Santtu-Matias Rouvali.

The month of October brought also debuts with Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, performing Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No.2, and with Estonia National Symphony playing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3.
Denis appeared in recital at the Concertgebouw Masterpianisten Series, in Brussels as Flagey Artist in Residence, as well as within the Schloss-Elmau series and at the Louvre Auditorium in Paris.

Most recent highlights include the performance of Beethoven Piano Concerto No.4 with the Hungarian National Philharmonic in the tribute to maestro Zoltán Kocsis, and the return to Houston Symphony under Andrés Orozco-Estrada, performing both Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and Lutoslawski’s Variations on a Theme by Paganini.
Upcoming engagements will see Denis returning with BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Alexander Vedernikov, performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1, and with Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in his second collaboration with maestro Jaap van Zweden.

Denis will also appear alongside Julian Rachlin, Andreas Ottensamer and Nicolas Altstaedt at the Wiener Musikverein, as well as forming duo with Janine Jansen in Verbier.

Debut with the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle

Denis Kozhukhin steps in with the London Symphony Orchestra, performing Bartok’s Piano Concerto No. 2, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, on July 11th & 12th at the Barbican Center.

These concerts follow successful debuts with Staatskapelle Berlin performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.1 under maestro D. Barenboim, and with Orchestra de la Suisse Romande under maestro K. Yamada performing Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major, the return to Philharmonia Orchestra under Maestro Y. Temirkanov performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and recitals at the Klavier-Festival Ruhr and the Boulez Saal.

Debut with Staatskapelle Berlin under maestro Daniel Barenboim

Denis Kozhukhin replaces Lang Lang, performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with Staatskapelle Berlin under the baton of maestro Daniel Barenboim, on June 5th & 6th at the Philharmonie and Konzerthaus respectively.
He will also appear at the Boulez Saal on June 4th performing with musicians from the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and the Barenboim-Said Akademie.

These concerts follow successful debuts with Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 under maestro Jaap van Zweden, and with San Francisco Symphony under maestro Orozco-Estrada performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.2.

The months of April/May have also brought appearances with the Oslo Philharmonic/V. Petrenko, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic/Weilerstein, MDR Sinfonieorchester/K. Järvi, Czech Philharmonic/Weilerstein, and HR-Sinfonieorchester/Orozco-Estrada at the Wiener Musikverein.

East Coast tour with Philadelphia Orchestra

Denis Kozhukhin joins the Philadelphia Orchestra in February for a brief tour of the US East Coast, performing in West Palm Beach on 7 February, Sarasota on 9 February and Princeton, NJ on 11 February 2017. Under the baton of Stéphane Denève, he performs Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3.

At the end of the month, Kozhukhin makes his debut with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, performing in Utrecht on 24 February (broadcast live on NPO Radio 4) and in Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw on 25 and 27 February. Conducted by Marc Albrecht, he performs R. Strauss Burleske in D minor.

New recording: Johannes Brahms Ballades & Fantasies

Denis Kozhukhin releases his second recording on Pentatone on 3 February, Brahms’ Ballades and Fantasies.

This is his first solo recording for the label, and follows a disc of Grieg and Tchaikovsky concertos released in 2016. His Pentatone debut was selected Gramophone Editor’s Choice and Disc of the month in both Fono Forum and Stereophone, with Gramophone commenting: “listening to Kozhukhin, you’re left with one thing: the music – incontestable, complete.”

Writing about the Ballades and Fantasies in the CD booklet, Kozhukhin says:

“These works by Brahms reflect the many aspects of the life of a great man; the intellect of an exceptional mind and the emotions of a profoundly sensitive human being.

From the Ballades with their resonance of a young man wondering about an uncertain future, to the Phantasies, with their sickening contrasts, which move from the despair of a man who suffered great loss to the powerful resilient strength of a human being who refuses to accept the approaching end.”

Visit Pentatone’s Soundcloud to hear a preview of the recording. The recording is available to buy from Pentatone directly, or on Amazon and iTunes from 3 February 2017.