Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra debut

Denis Kozhukhin

Next Concerts

June 12, 2026

Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor, Op.15

– Sunwook Kim (conductor)

Venue: Gyeonggi Arts Centre, Suwon-si

Link to the performance

June 13, 2026

Seoul, South Korea

Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor, Op.15

– Sunwook Kim (conductor)

Venue: Seoul Arts Center, Seoul

Link to the performance

News

January 18th, 2016

Denis Kozhukhin makes his debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra this month in two concerts on 29 and 31 January 2015, performing Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3 under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda. Kozhukhin recently performed the concerto with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, a performance of which the Augsburger Allgemeine commented that Kozhukhin “it’s as if the young piano star Denis Kozhukhin was specifically created to be a sensitive interpreter of Rachmaninov… [Kozhukhin] gave the astounding impression that the virtuoso piece had played itself.”

Earlier in the month, Kozhukhin appears in Boston on 20 January as part of the Celebrity Series recitals, performing a programme of Haydn Keyboard Sonata in D major, Brahms 7 Fantasias, Rachmaninov Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Haydn Keyboard Sonata in B minor, Franck Prélude, choral et fugue, and Prokofiev Piano Sonata No.7. He then performs with the New West Symphony Orchestra in three concerts on 22, 23 and 24 January, performing Ravel Piano Concerto with conductor Marcello Lehninger.

Video

Brahms: Fantasies No. 1 in D minor

In the Press

“Ravel’s Concerto in G takes us to completely different worlds. From that suggestive, almost hypnotic evocation of Debussy, we move on to a piece full of vitality, smiles, light-heartedness and, as its author intended, fun. Exultant fun from beginning to end, with hardly any respite, barely in the second movement, which never ceases to smile charmingly, albeit in a calmer way. Music that fits like a glove to the vitalistic nerve of the French maestro, who put all the rhythmic voltage into a vibrant accompaniment for the Russian soloist Denis Kozhukhin, who in turn demonstrated his excellent level once again.

As has been appreciated on previous occasions, the Russian’s sound is beautiful and has sufficient presence, although it does not dazzle. He shades beautifully and handles the pedal with general restraint, only occasionally overstepping that balance. He translated the fast-paced score apolloniously and with impeccable momentum, with a good dose of panache and fantasy, very successful realisation of the music’s jazzy resonances, and enviable intensity, connecting very well with the baton in a reading in which the rhythmic energy shone through.”