Kirill Gerstein » News

Kirill writes about his time at RachFest

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:02:08 +0000

Join Kirill as he shares his thoughts on performing as artist-in-residence during the Houston Symphony’s “RachFest.” Two posts are available to read in the “Press” section of this site, and future posts will be available both here and on the Houston Symphony’s blog.

Kirill Gerstein celebrates Rachmaninoff in Houston

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:59:08 +0000

Kirill spends January as artist-in-residence with the Houston Symphony’s “RachFest,” a month-long celebration of Rachmaninoff’s works. During the festival, Kirill undertakes the monumental task of performing all four of the composer’s piano concertos, the first performance of which occurred January 5. Everett Evans of the Houston Chronicle, discussing Kirill’s interpretation of the “gargantuan” Piano Concerto no. 3, praised his “mastery of the music’s ever shifting moods.”

RachFest continues on January 13 with performances of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concertos nos. 1 and 4, and concludes on January 19, 21, and 22 with his Piano Concerto no. 2. Hans Graf conducts these performances. For more information, and to purchase tickets, click here.

Kirill Gerstein’s Milestone Summer Consolidates His Position as “One of the Most Respected Pianists of His Generation”

admin — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:31:21 +0000

As August draws to a close, Kirill Gerstein, winner of the 2010 Gilmore Artist Award, looks back on a milestone summer of high-profile engagements that generated a spate of positive press, consolidating his reputation as “one of the most respected pianists of his generation” (New York Times). These included his New York Philharmonic debut, recitals at (Le) Poisson Rouge and the opening of the Toronto Summer Music Festival, and festival appearances from Colorado’s Aspen and Bravo!-Vail to the UK’s Aldeburgh and BBC Proms, by way of Canada, Switzerland, and Germany.

Capping his milestone summer, in late August the pianist performed Richard Strauss’s early Burleske with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Semyon Bychkov at London’s BBC Proms festival; the Guardian observed that Gerstein “attacked its virtuoso demands with a combination of brilliance and sensitivity.” You can listen to this performance on BBC Radio 3 from now until Friday, September 2.

Kirill’s debut summer

admin — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:00:33 +0000

This summer promises to be a hot one for Kirill. Just a few days into the summer months and Kirill has already won praise for his June 26 recital at Le Poisson Rouge. Of his recital, the Examiner.com exclaimed, “In the course of the night, Gerstein filled the shoes of both café pianist and virtuoso performer. His versatility is unquestionable.” Following his Le Poisson Rouge performance, Kirill makes his New York Philharmonic debut for three performances this week performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 at Lincoln Center, with conductor Bramwell Tovey.

Next month, Kirill makes his Toronto recital debut when he opens the Toronto Summer Music Festival with a recital featuring Beethoven’s Op. 111 Sonata and both books of the Brahms Variations on a Theme of Paganini, as well as Liszt’s Sonata in B minor on July 19.

Kirill closes the Bournemouth Orchestra season on 24 hour notice

admin — Thu, 12 May 2011 17:47:09 +0000

Fresh off of a recital at New York’s major cultural institution, the 92nd Street Y, Kirill Gerstein closed the Bournemouth Orchestra season just four days later and with only 24-hour notice! After flying to Zurich to teach a master-class, Kirill received a call to jump in with the orchestra and conductor Kiril Karabits to play Tchaikovsky’s well renowned Piano Concerto No. 1.

Fans who were unable to catch this performance, can listen to the broadcast on BBC Radio 3 now through Wednesday, May 18.

New York Philharmonic debut among performances this spring and summer

admin — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:00:16 +0000

After a season filled with milestone event after milestone event; Gerstein’s ever-upward trajectory continues this spring and summer, from intense solo recitals to high-end concerto performances. On April 30 at San Jose State University, the Russian-born pianist plays Beethoven’s Op. 119 Bagatelles and Piano Sonata Op. 111 and, with Liszt’s bicentennial year in mind, the composer’s titanic Sonata in B Minor. On May 7, Gerstein reprises Beethoven’s Opp. 111 and 119 at New York’s 92nd Street Y, splitting a program with the Tokyo String Quartet. Following recital, concerto and chamber music dates across Europe to the Middle East, Gerstein returns to Manhattan this June when he makes his debut with the New York Philharmonic and conductor Bramwell Tovey at Lincoln Center, June 28-30, playing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

Kirill Gerstein Speaks with Fred Child and Performs on Performance Today

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 19:27:24 +0000

Kirill Gerstein was recently interviewed by Fred Child for American Public Media’s program, Performance Today. In the interview, Gerstein speaks with Fred Child about his musical career, his love for jazz and classical music, and more. He also performs three works: Gilmore-commissioned Ophelia’s Last Dance, by Oliver Knussen, Carl Czerny’s Variations on a Theme by La Ricordanza, and Melodie, op. 3 by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Click here to listen

Gerstein launches New Year with high-profile performances

admin — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:33:06 +0000

Kirill Gerstein launched the New Year with high-profile concerto performances across Europe and the US. The last two weeks of January have seen Gerstein perform Shostakovich’s Second with Esa-Pekka Salonen in Wales, Beethoven’s “Emperor” in Germany, and Rachmaninoff’s First with the Baltimore Symphony.

Of his performance of Shostakovich’s Second with Esa-Pekka Salonen in Wales, Rian Evans of the Guardian wrote, “Soloist Kirill Gerstein’s articulation was scintillating,” and Tim Smith of the Baltimore Sun exclaimed, “The BSO was fortunate to have as soloist the exceptionally accomplished Kirill Gerstein… Gerstein has just what it takes to unleash the richness of Rachmaninoff’s music — rock-solid technique, prismatic tone, impeccable taste.”

Gerstein performs Shostakovich’s Second with the St. Louis Symphony on January 28-30. Then in February, Gerstein plays Brahms’s Second in Iceland and Venezuela, the latter performance under Gustavo Dudamel.

Gerstein’s new solo CD featured in New York Times’s Holiday Gift Guide

admin — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:49:30 +0000

Kirill Gerstein’s new solo recital CD, recently released by myrios classics, was featured in this year’s New York Times Holiday Gift Guide. According to Anthony Tommasini, of the New York Times, “The superb Russian-born pianist Kirill Gerstein, who received the prestigious Gilmore Artist Award this year, pairs Schumann’s mercurial masterpiece Humoresque with Liszt’s visionary Sonata in B minor, each played with exquisite technique, refined musicianship and engrossing imagination. Between these formidable works Mr. Gerstein offers the English composer Oliver Knussen’s fantastical Ophelia’s Last Dance.”

Purchase at iTunes
Purchase at Amazon.com

Kirill Gerstein Presents First Recording of Knussen’s Ophelia’s Last Dance on Nov 9

admin — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:19:41 +0000

For Gilmore Artist Kirill Gerstein, the beginning of the season has brought rave reviews. Following his appearance with the Cleveland Orchestra, Zachary Lewis of the Cleveland Plain Dealer declared, “His was a magnetic, propulsive performance, bristling with energy. … He appears to have a long, illustrious career ahead of him.” Likewise, of Gerstein’s upcoming performance with the San Francisco Symphony, the Contra Costa Times observed, “Gerstein is a standout even among the impressive current roster of star pianists in the world.”

The new season also marks the release of a new addition to Gerstein’s discography, on the myrios classics label. Due to hit stores next week, this solo recital CD features works by Liszt, Schumann, and Oliver Knussen, whose Ophelia’s Last Dance was written for Gerstein’s world-premiere performance at the Gilmore Festival this past May. click here to read the news release
Purchase at iTunes
Purchase at Amazon.com