Grigory Sokolov facts for kids
Grigory Sokolov is a very famous Russian pianist. He was born on April 18, 1950. He also has Spanish citizenship. Many people think he is one of the best pianists alive today. He plays music from many different time periods. This includes old Baroque music by composers like Bach and Rameau. He also plays more modern music. Sokolov often performs concerts in Europe and lives in Italy.
His Life Story
Grigory Sokolov was born in Leningrad (which is now called Saint Petersburg) in Russia. He started learning to play the piano when he was just five years old. When he was seven, he went to a special music school. This school was part of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. He studied there with his teacher, Leah Zelikhman.
After finishing the children's school, he continued his studies at the Conservatory. His teacher there was Moisey Khalfin. At age 12, he played his first big concert in Moscow. He performed music by many famous composers like Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin.
When he was 16, he became famous around the world. He won the gold medal at the 1966 International Tchaikovsky Competition. This made him the youngest winner ever! It was a big surprise to many people at the time.
Even though he won the Tchaikovsky Competition when he was young, Sokolov's international career grew slowly. It really took off in the late 1980s. Some people thought this was because of rules in the Soviet Union. However, he did tour the U.S. in 1969, 1971, 1975, and 1979. He also played concerts in places like Finland and Japan.
In the 1980s, his concerts in the U.S. stopped for a while. This was because of problems between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. For example, the Soviet–Afghan War caused cultural agreements to be cancelled. During the time the Soviet Union was breaking up, Sokolov mostly played concerts only in Russia.
Today, he is very well-known in concert halls across Europe. However, he is less known in the U.S. For a long time, Sokolov did not release many recordings. He didn't release any new ones for 20 years, from 1995 to 2015. But in 2014, he signed a contract with Deutsche Grammophon. This company now releases recordings of his live concerts. In 2015, he released a two-CD set from a live concert. It included music by Mozart and Chopin.
In August 2022, he became a citizen of Spain.
What He Has Said
Grigory Sokolov has sometimes made public statements about things he believes in.
In March 2009, he cancelled a concert in London. This was because of new rules for getting a Travel visa in Britain. These rules asked people from outside the E.U. to give their fingerprints and eye prints. Sokolov felt these rules were similar to unfair controls in the Soviet Union. He also cancelled a concert in 2008 for similar reasons.
In 2015, Sokolov was offered the Cremona Music Award. But he refused to accept it. He said he did not want to be on the same list of award-winners as a British music journalist named Norman Lebrecht. Sokolov felt it was "shameful" to be associated with Lebrecht. This was because Lebrecht had made some personal comments about Sokolov's family.
Who Inspired Him
Sokolov has said that several other pianists inspired him. He learned a lot from listening to them.
He mentioned Emil Gilels as someone he heard play live. From recordings, he was inspired by pianists like Rachmaninoff, Glenn Gould, and Lipatti. He also feels a strong connection to the musical style of Anton Rubinstein.
His Music Choices
In 2006, Sokolov explained why he plays fewer concerts with orchestras. He said that there often isn't enough time to practice with the orchestra. Also, it's hard to find a conductor who shares his musical ideas.
He prefers to play solo concerts. When he plays the same solo program many times, he can make his performances deeper and more meaningful. Playing with an orchestra, however, means starting fresh with rehearsals for each new concert.
There are several CDs and DVDs available of Sokolov's performances. These recordings show the wide range of music he plays. They include works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, and many others.
See also
In Spanish: Grigori Sokolov para niños
