Kissin, Evgeny (1971– )

Russian pianist. He studied at the Gnessin Institute, Moscow from 1977 and played Beethoven sonatas in concert at the age of seven. He made his debut with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra in 1983, playing both Chopin concertos. After he had been heard by Karajan, he played the Tchaikovsky First Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, in 1987. He made his British debut the same year, at the Lichfield Festival and his US debut with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under Zubin Mehta, in 1990. He performed with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1988 and subsequently at Carnegie Hall in a concert of works by Prokofiev, Chopin, Schumann and Liszt. Further concerts with the Philadelphia, Boston Symphony, and Chicago Symphony Orchestras followed. Following his Salzburg debut recital in 1993, he returned in 1994 with an all-Chopin programme.