Nikolaï Lugansky, pianist
Known for his superb interpretations of Rachmaninoff, Nikolaï Lugansky has been a prize winner 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.

Mr. Lugansky has appeared with major symphony orchestras worldwide, including the Orchestre National de France, Orchestre de Paris, Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Russian National Orchestra, and Royal Concertgebouw, among many others. In America he has performed with the symphony orchestras of San Francisco and Los Angeles. He made his Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra debut in December 2003 under Paavo Järvi.

The list of distinguished conductors with whom Mr. Lugansky has worked includes Paavo Berglund, Riccardo Chailly, Christoph Eschenbach, Valery Gergiev, Marek Janowski, Neeme Järvi, Vladimir Jurovsky, Emmanuel Krivine, Sir Charles Mackerras, Kurt Masur, Kent Nagano, Sakari Oramo, Mikhail Pletnev, Jukka Pekka Saraste, and Yuri Temirkanov.

Highlights of recent seasons include a European tour with the Orchestre National de France under Kurt Masur and a tour of Japan with the Royal Concertgebouw under Riccardo Chailly.

As a chamber musician, Mr. Lugansky collaborates frequently with violinist Vadim Repin and cellist Mischa Maisky, and recently embarked on a duo recital tour of the United States with Mr. Repin.

An acclaimed recording artist with Warner Classics, Mr. Lugansky won Diapason d’Ors for his recording of the complete Chopin Etudes in 2000 and his recording of Rachmaninoff Preludes and Moments Musicaux paired with Chopin Preludes in 2001. He was awarded the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik and the Echo Klassik 2005 for his recording of Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 3, and his recording of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 for Pentatone Classics won Gramophone Editor’s Choice in February 2004. His recent releases also include a recording of Beethoven piano sonatas including the  “Appassionata” and “Moonlight” sonatas.

Mr. Lugansky was born in Moscow into a family of scientists. He studied at the Central School of Music in Moscow, where his principal teachers included the renowned pianist and teacher Tatiana Nikolaeva, and  Sergueï Dorensky, the current director of the Tchaikovsky School of Music in Moscow,.

He currently resides in Moscow with his wife and two children.