The final showdown: Kirill vs. “Rach 2″

The third and final week of “RachFest” is filling me with excitement for the upcoming performances of Rachmaninoff’s second concerto. I’m also feeling a hint of nostalgia as this project comes to a close. It has been wonderful and challenging to be immersed uninterruptedly in Rachmaninoff’s concertos. Performing all of them with the musicians of the Houston Symphony, becoming familiar with many of the audience members, feeling the continuity of the series and staying in Houston for three weeks has been a memorable and touching experience.

- Houston Symphony Blog, January 18, 2012

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One down, three to go! On deck: Rach 1 & 4

Our “RachFest” continues this week with a pairing of Rachmaninoff’s 1st and 4th piano concertos. These two wonderful pieces are sometimes undeservedly overshadowed by their more famous cousins. I am glad to have the chance to present them to the Houston audience, and playing them together in one program makes a lot of sense.

- Houston Symphony Blog, January 11, 2012

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A fearless hand ballet: Gerstein attacks a naughty RachFest with a perfectionist’s cool for Symphony

If Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto could talk, it would say take me, love me, hug me, hold me, adore me.

And that’s just the PG version. I suspect what’s lurking between the lines would be more sultry, even naughty, not verbiage I’d be willing to put down on a critique of such a classic. But if you could picture a passionate romantic romp that was set in motion with a shot of vodka, a piece of rye and a spoon full of caviar, this soundtrack would not be in the background, it would be paramount to the escapade.

- CultureMap Houston, January 6, 2012

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Houston Symphony promotes its version of a prizefight

The people at the Houston Symphony have come up with a pretty clever campaign for its upcoming RachFest: The advertising deliberately resembles a promotion for a boxing match.

For three weeks in January, Jones Hall will play host to “the biggest, baddest showdown of the century”: composer Sergei Rachmaninoff “vs.” pianist Kirill Gerstein.

The analogy sort of makes sense. The famous Russian composer wrote four big-fisted piano concertos that are each daunting for any pianist. The 32-year-old Gerstein is bravely stepping into the ring to play all four of them.

- Houston Chronicle, January 3, 2012

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Getting ready to Rach: Kirill Gerstein on Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3

I am excited to start our joint Rachmaninoff adventure with the Houston Symphony this week. In my opinion, Rachmaninoff’s concertos are some of the most gratifying pieces written for the piano. Playing and hearing the four concertos in three consecutive weeks offers a special opportunity to hear the essence of Rachmaninoff’s voice while observing the changes and growth of his style.

- Houston Symphony Blog, January 4, 2012

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Yuja Wang and Kirill Gerstein Lead a New Piano Generation

Russia has given us Kirill Gerstein, born in 1979, the latest recipient of the distinguished Gilmore Artist Award, whose extraordinary recording of the Liszt Sonata, Schumann’s mercurial “Humoreske” and a fanciful piece by Oliver Knussen on Myrios Classics was one of the best recordings of 2010. In June Mr. Gerstein made his New York Philharmonic debut at a Summertime Classics concert with a boldly interpreted and brilliant account of Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto. But don’t let his probing musicianship distract you. He is another of those younger technicians who have figured out everything about piano playing.

The New York Times, August 12, 2011

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