Russian Escapee and Pianist Mikhail Voskresensky

“Mikhail Voskresensky proved an imposing, magnetic presence… passion, impétuosité, spontaneity and articulation marked this recital” - Los Angeles Times.

For more than 60 years, the renowned Russian pianist Mikhail Voskresensky has continued to give concerts around the world. As the top prize winner of Schumann International Piano Competition, Rio de Janeiro, Enescu in Bucharest and The First van Cliburn Competition, Voskresensky has captivated audiences with his electrifying interpretations of great piano literature in all styles.

Born in Berdyans’k, Ukraine, Voskresensky graduated from the Moscow Conservatory. His mentors include the famous Lev Oborin (first prize winner of the First International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw), Ilya Klyachko, Yakov Milstein, Boris Zemliansky and Leonid Roizman (organist). Voskresensky’s career began with a performance of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in Warsaw with the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra under the direction of Eugeny Svetlanov. In 1957, he performed the European premiere of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 at the Prague Spring International Music Festival in the presence of composer himself, who had personally given him several lessons.

On his YouTube channel called “Mikhail Voskresensky - pianist” there are more than 100 videos and records of his recitals and concertos with orchestra. The last live recordings include: all of Mozart’s piano concertos and sonatas, all of Beethoven’s concertos along with the Choral Fantasy, as well as many recitals.

Voskresensky is the distinguished professor of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and former chair of its piano faculty. Since 1992, he has also held the position of guest professor at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo. His pupils have won more than 120 international prizes, including 61 gold medals. Amongst these students are Varvara Nepomnyaschaya, Stanislav Igolinsky, Temirzhan Erzhanov, Milica Jovanovic, Yury Favorin, Alexander Ghindin, Amir Tebenikhin, Sergei Koudriakov, Alexey Nabiulin, Evelina Vorontsova, Mikhail Yanovitsky, Oleg Marshev, Sergey Neller, Alexey Kurbatov, Yuri Martynov and many more.

He has adjudicated many international competitions and held the position of chairmen of jury at the Tchaikovsky and Scriabin competitions in Moscow. He has also been invited to be a jury member at several American competitions.

Voskresensky was awarded the highest artistic title in Russia in 1989, “the People's Artist of Russia”, as well as the Japanese Medal of “the Rising Sun and Gold Rays,” awarded to him by the Emperor of Japan.

In June 2022, Voskresensky left Russia with his family as a protest against the war in Ukraine and immigrated to the USA, where he was immediately in demand. He was invited to be a visiting professor at the Juilliard School. His recitals at the Texas Piano Festival, the Lilacs Recital Series, the Northern Lights Minnesota Festival, Rowan University, and the Eastman School of Music had brilliant success.

In July 2023, he gave masterclasses and a recital at the Aspen Festival in Colorado. In this coming season, he will be giving masterclasses at Yale University (September 28), the Curtis Institute (November 8), the Manhattan School of Music, Berkeley Conservatory, Indiana University, and more.

After his recital in Fort Worth (6/27/2023), one critic wrote: “Apotheosis of superiority!”