Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Grigory Sokolov

Role / Field:

Esteemed Russian and Spanish pianist, celebrated for his profound interpretations across musical eras.

Born:

1950-04-18

Century / Era:

1950s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Grigory Lipmanovich Sokolov (Russian: Григо́рий Ли́пманович Соколо́в; born 18 April 1950) is a Russian and Spanish pianist. He is among the most esteemed of living pianists, with his repertoire spanning composers from the Baroque period such as Bach, Couperin or Rameau up to Schoenberg and Arapov. He regularly tours Europe (excluding the UK). Sokolov was born in Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His father was Lipman Girshevich Sokolov, who was Jewish, and his mother was Galina Nikolayevna Zelenetskaya. He began studying the piano at the age of five and entered the Leningrad Conservatory's special school for children at the age of seven to study with Leah Zelikhman. After graduating from the children's school, he continued studying at the Conservatory with Moisey Khalfin. At 12, he gave his first major recital in Moscow, in a concert of works by Bach, Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Liszt, Debussy and Shostakovich at the Philharmonic Society. At age 16, he came to international attention when he was awarded the gold medal in the 1966 International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition, making him the youngest ever winner...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• A. R. Rahman — Historical peer (Born in 1966) (1966): Visionary Indian composer celebrated for blending global sounds with cinematic emotion.
• Abe Saperstein — Historical peer (Died in 1966) (1966): Founder of the Harlem Globetrotters, revolutionized black basketball.
• André Bazin — Shared historical date (04-18 · Born) (1918): Influential French film critic and theorist championing cinematic realism.
• 1950 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1950
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Frequently Asked Questions about Grigory Sokolov