Denis Kozhukhin

Prokofiev’s 125th anniversary

Denis Kozhukhin joins Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra on 23 April as part of a week-long celebration in St Petersburg and Moscow of 125 years since the birth of Prokofiev.

At 11.30am on Saturday 23 April, Kozhukhin performs Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 1 in the Moscow Tchaikovsky Concert Hall under Maestro Gergiev and the Mariinsky. Violinist Leonidas Kavakos will also perform Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1.

At 3pm, Kozhukhin then performs Prokofiev Piano Sonata No.5 as part of a full sonata cycle alongside pianists Daniil Trifonov, Katya Skanavi and Iliya Rashkovsky – more details.

Return to the Intonations Festival, Berlin

Denis Kozhukhin returns to the Intonations Festival in Berlin this month, giving a series of three concerts from 19 to 21 April 2016 at the Jewish Museum. For the first concert, Kozhukhin is joined by Emmanuel Pahud (flute) and Danele Damiano (bassoon) to perform Beethoven Piano Trio with Flute and Bassoon WoO 37, followed by Martinů Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano with Pahud and cellist Timothy Park.

The second concert sees Kozhukhin performing Busoni Fantasia Contrappuntisticawith Kirill Gerstein (piano), Stravinsky The Soldier’s Tale: Suite with Alexander Sitkovetsky (violin) and Pascal Moraguès (clarinet), after which he rejoins Gerstein to perform Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances, Op.45. In the final recital, Kozhukhin will be joined by Michael Barenboim (violin) in a performance of Schönberg Fantasy for violin and piano, Op.47.

“Technically flawless and musically imperious”: praise for Denis Kozhukhin with the Philharmonia

Denis Kozhukhin stepped in to replace pianist Boris Berezovsky in three concerts this week with the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy. Kozhukhin’s performance at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, London, received a glowing review from Classical Source:

“Technically flawless and musically imperious … the outrageous first-movement cadenza was astonishing, no holds barred … this was something special. Throughout, Kozhukhin’s attention to detail and articulation was immaculate, and his daredevil playing was thrilling … Kozhukhin was a knockout.”
Classical Source, April 2016

Denis Kozhukhin steps in to replace Boris Berezovsky with the Philharmonia Orchestra

Denis Kozhukhin will step in this week to replace pianist Boris Berezovsky in three concerts with the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy, with these concerts being the first time that Kozhukhin has performed with Maestro Ashkenazy.

Kozhukhin will perform Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor at De Montfort Hall, Leicester on 12 April, at The Anvil Theatre in Basingstoke on 13 April, and at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 14 April.

Debut recording for Pentatone – out now

Released today is Denis Kozhukhin’s debut recording with Dutch recording label Pentatone.

After signing an exclusive recording agreement with Pentatone in September 2015, Kozhukhin’s first recording with the label will feature Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 in B-flat minor and Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor recorded with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin and Vassily Sinaisky at the Funkhaus Berlin.

Kozhukhin is currently Pentatone’s Artist of the Season; read more about it here. You can also watch an exclusive ‘Artist of the Season Diary’ here, filmed during the recording period, which gives an insight into the recording process as well as Kozhukhin’s thoughts on the works included on the disc.

The recording is now available for purchase and digital download here.

St Louis Symphony debut with Gilbert Varga

Denis Kozhukhin travels to Missouri this month, where he makes his debut with the Saint Louis Symphony in two concerts at Powell Hall on 5 and 6 March 2016. Kozhukhin joins the orchestra for Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2 and performs for the first time under the baton of fellow Intermusica artist Gilbert Varga.

Kozhukhin returns to Europe the following week to make a second orchestral debut, this time with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Pietari Inkinen. Kozhukhin and the orchestra perform Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.3 at Dublin’s National Concert Hall on 11 March, in a concert that will be broadcast live on RTÉ Lyric FM.

Pentatone Artist of the Season January – June 2016

Having recently signed an exclusive contract with Dutch label Pentatone, Kozhukhin’s debut recording with them is due to be released in early April 2016. This recording will feature Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 in B-flat minor and Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor, which Kozhukhin recorded together with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, conducted by Vassily Sinaisky.

Learn more about the announcement of Denis Kozhukhin as Pentatone’s Artist of the Season here. The exclusive ‘Artist of the Season Diary’, filmed during the recording period for his upcoming disc can be viewed below. The video diary gives an insight both into the recording process and Kozhukhin’s thoughts on the pieces. Denis Kozhukhin’s debut recording with Pentatone can be pre-ordered here.