Nikolai Lugansky, already a major artist, has been hailed as the “next” in a line of great Russian pianists by his former teacher, the renowned pedagogue, Tatiana Nikolaeva. He has been described as “a pianistic phenomenon of exceptional class” by the Netherlands’ NRC Handelsblad and as “riveting” and “stand out” by London’s Telegraph.

Known for his superb interpretations of Rachmaninoff, Mr. Lugansky has been a prizewinner in several international competitions, including the International Bach Competition in Leipzig in 1988, the All-Union Rachmaninoff Competition in 1990, and the Tchaikovsky International Competition in 1994. He made his American debut at the Hollywood Bowl in 1996 as a part of a tour with the Kirov Orchestra and Valery Gergiev.

Mr. Lugansky has appeared with major symphony orchestras worldwide, including the Orchestre National de France, the Orchestre de Paris, the Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, and Russian National orchestras; the Berlin, Milan, City of Birmingham, Chicago and San Francisco symphony orchestras; the Monte Carlo, Dresden, Los Angeles, Munich, Rotterdam, St. Petersburg and Tokyo philharmonics; and the Philadelphia, Royal Concertgebouw in repertoire as diverse as Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart, Schumann, Grieg, Chopin, Ravel, Tchaikovsky and Liszt ... read full bio

Nikolai Lugansky, already a major artist, has been hailed as the “next” in a line of great Russian pianists by his former teacher, the renowned pedagogue, Tatiana Nikolaeva. He has been described as “a pianistic phenomenon of exceptional class” by the Netherlands’ NRC Handelsblad and as “riveting” and “stand out” by London’s Telegraph.

Known for his superb interpretations of Rachmaninoff, Mr. Lugansky has been a prizewinner in several international competitions, including the International Bach Competition in Leipzig in 1988, the All-Union Rachmaninoff Competition in 1990, and the Tchaikovsky International Competition in 1994. He made his American debut at the Hollywood Bowl in 1996 as a part of a tour with the Kirov Orchestra and Valery Gergiev.

Mr. Lugansky has appeared with major symphony orchestras worldwide, including the Orchestre National de France, the Orchestre de Paris, the Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, and Russian National orchestras; the Berlin, Milan, City of Birmingham, Chicago and San Francisco symphony orchestras; the Monte Carlo, Dresden, Los Angeles, Munich, Rotterdam, St. Petersburg and Tokyo philharmonics; and the Philadelphia, Royal Concertgebouw in repertoire as diverse as Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart, Schumann, Grieg, Chopin, Ravel, Tchaikovsky and Liszt.

The list of distinguished conductors with whom he has worked includes Paavo Berglund, Herbert Blomstedt, Riccardo Chailly, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Valery Gergiev, Marek Janowski, Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Vladimir Jurowski, Emmanuel Krivine, Sir Charles Mackerras, Kurt Masur, Kent Nagano, Sakari Oramo, Mikhail Pletnev, Jukka Pekka Saraste, and Yuri Temirkanov. He also regularly appears at some of the world's most distinguished festivals, including the BBC Proms, La Roque d'Anthéron, Verbier, Baden Baden, Salzburg, Edinburgh International Festival and the Kissinger Sommerfest.

Upcoming engagements include debuts with the Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic, duo recitals with partners Leonid Kavakos and Vadim Repin as well as solo recitals in Holl, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, France and the United Kingdom culminating in London’s Wigmore Hall.

In North America, his recent activities have included a cross-country tour with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Yuri Temirkanov, the Montreal and National Symphony in Washington DC. Mr. Lugansky has featured with the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati symphonies both at home and on tour in Europe.

An acclaimed recording artist, he has recently signed an exclusive deal with the Naïve-Ambroisie label, whose first release of solo Liszt works is now available and has led Le Monde to write that “Nikolai Lugansky has entered the inner circle of great Lisztians”. His next recording for Naïve featuring Rachmoninoff’s two piano sonatas is due for release in September. His previous release, an all-Chopin recital for Onyx was described by The Guardian as “unquestionably thrilling”, and in October of 2010 Deutsche Grammophon released a disc of chamber music recorded together with Vadim Repin with whom he has developed a long-lasting and fruitful musical partnership which won the 2011 Edison Klassiek Award and the Chamber Music category award of the 2011 BBC Music Magazine Awards.

His recordings on Warner Classics label have garnered the Diapason d’Or for the complete Chopin Etudes in 2000, Rachmaninoff Preludes and Moments Musicaux in 2001 and Chopin Preludes in 2002. He was awarded the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik and the ECHO Klassik 2005 for his recording of Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos 1 & 3, and his recording of Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 for Pentatone Classics won Gramophone Editor’s Choice (February 2004). His other releases include Prokofiev Sonatas 4 & 6 and selections from Romeo and Juliet,  Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Sakari Oramo coupled with “Variations on a theme by Corelli,” and “Variations on a theme by Chopin,” and Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos 2 & 4. In fall 2005, Warner Classics released his first disc of Beethoven Sonatas that includes the “Moonlight” and “Appassionata” sonatas. Nikolai Lugansky and Alexander Kniazev won the 2007 ECHO Klassik Award for their recording of works by Chopin and Rachmaninov released in January of that year.

Mr. Lugansky studied at the Central School of Music in Moscow, where his principal teachers included the renowned pianist and teacher Tatiana Nikolaeva, and the current director of the Tchaikovsky School of Music in Moscow, Sergei Dorensky.

Last updated September 2012. Contact Opus 3 Artists for the most up-to-date version.