Kirill Gerstein

Kirill Gerstein’s natural versatility and curiosity have led him to explore a wide range of repertoire and styles. From Bach to Adès, his playing is distinguished by a discerning intelligence, great virtuosity, and a clarity of expression which he combines with an energetic and imaginative musical presence.

Mr. Gerstein was born in the former Soviet Union, studying both classical and jazz piano from a young age. At age 14 he moved to the US where he was the youngest student to attend Boston’s Berklee College of Music. He subsequently shifted his focus to the classical repertoire and studied with Solomon Mikowsky in New York, Dmitri Bashkirov in Madrid, and Ferenc Rados in Budapest. Gerstein won the first of a series of prestigious accolades in 2001, including first prize at the 10th Arthur Rubinstein Competition. In 2002, he won the Gilmore Young Artist Award, and in 2010 both an Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Gilmore Artist Award, the latter of which provided the funds for him to commission new works from Timothy Andres, Chick Corea, Alexander Goehr, Oliver Knussen, and Brad Mehldau. Mr. Gerstein is the only pianist ever to have received both the Gilmore Young Artist Award and the Gilmore Artist Award.

A devoted teacher, Mr. Gerstein has taught at the Stuttgart Musik Hochschule and at the Kronberg Academy in Taunus, Germany as part of Sir András Schiff’s Performance Programme for Young Artists.

Mr. Gerstein’s recordings are available on the Myrios Classics label.

An American citizen since 2003, he now divides his time between the United States and Berlin, Germany, where he resides with his family.