Elisabeth Leonskaja

Elisabeth Leonskaja holds a distinguished position among the leading international pianists. Of Russian origin, she studied under Jacob Milstein at the Moscow Conservatory. Before emigrating from the Soviet Union and settling in Vienna in 1978, Elisabeth Leonskaja had won the prestigious Enesco, Marguerite Long and Queen Elisabeth Competitions. She had also given many concerts, which included duets with Sviatoslav Richter in a partnership that had a profound influence on her subsequent development as an artist. However it was her sensational debut at the 1979 Salzburg Festival that rapidly brought her name to the attention of western audiences.

Since then she has given countless recitals at numerous international music festivals and is a frequent guest in some of the worlds most prestigious concert halls. Recent and future seasons will include appearances at the Edinburgh, Vienna, Ruhr and Schleswig-Holstein Festivals as well as the International Piano Series in Vienna, London, Paris, Brussels and Berlin. During the 2002-3 season Ms Leonskaja was the Artist-in-Residence at the magnificent Dortmund Konzerthaus.

She regularly appears as soloist across Europe and works with many of the leading conductors such as Kurt Masur, Sir Colin Davis, Cristoph Eschenbach, Kurt Sanderling, Mariss Jansons, Yuri Temirkanov and many others. Among the orchestras with whom she has performed recently are the Leipzig Gewandhaus, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Camerata Salzburg, the Zurich Tonhalle, the Philharmonia, the Royal Concertgebouw, the Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de France and the Czech Philharmonic. In November 2006 Elisabeth made her debut at Carnegie Hall, New York with the London Philharmonic/Masur performing Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No.2. Critics agree that warmth, stylishness and elegance distinguish her virtuoso playing.

A committed chamber musician, Elisabeth Leonskaja collaborates closely with the Alban Berg, Borodin and Guarneri Quartets, Heinrich Schiff and the Vienna Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble. Last season the Vienna Konzerthaus presented her in a series of concerts featuring piano quintets with some of the world’s greatest string quartet players.

She has made numerous recordings for Teldec and has received a number of prestigious international prizes: including the Caecilia Prize for her recording of Brahms’s piano sonatas and the coveted Diapason d’Or for her recording of works by Franz Liszt. Other significant recordings include Chopin Piano Concertos No 1 and 2 with the Czech Philharmonic/Vladimir Ashkenazy, Tchaikovsky Piano Concertos No 2 and 3 with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Kurt Masur and Shostakovich Piano Concertos No 1 and 2 with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra/Hugh Wolff. Elisabeth has very recently been appointed Winner of the Midem Classical Award 2007 (solo instrument category) for her latest recording of Mendelssohn’s Piano Concertos No 1&2 with the Camerata Salzburg/Ilan Volkov.

In a ceremony held in Vienna in February 2006 Elisabeth Leonskaja received the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class. It is the highest award of its kind in Austria.

Date Last Edited: 24th October 2007

Source:
IMG Artists