Konstantin Lifschitz

Known as a concerto soloist, chamber accompanist, and solo recitalist, Konstantin Lifschitz is a Russian pianist who has established an international career. As a child, Lifschitz began playing the piano by ear, and his talent was so obvious at age 5 he was accepted into Moscow's Gnessin Special Middle School of Music to study under Tatiana Zelikman. At age 13, he presented a recital in Moscow that was a breakthrough with the press and public. His graduation recital in 1994 featured a performance of Bach's Goldberg Variations, which was recorded and released by Denon Nippon Columbia. Following his graduation, Lifschitz studied with Alfred Brendel, Leon Fleisher, Charles Rosen, and Rosalyn Tureck, among others. The Russian Cultural Foundation gave him a scholarship to enable him to study and perform in Europe. He was brought to Vladimir Spivakov's attention and was invited to perform with the Moscow Virtuosi in Japan. This was followed by concerto performances with major world orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and the Salzburg Mozarteum. Lifschitz has also taken an interest in conducting. In 2008, he became a professor at the Hochschule für Musik in Lucerne, Switzerland.