Faculty
Ilya Itin
“Itin’s is a rare and exciting artistry indeed... Poised, pure and ravishing in its range of colour, Itin’s playing is a prime example of a superb technique put at the service of an inquiring and imaginative mind.” (Daily Telegraph, London)
In 1990 Ilya Itin entered the William Kapell Competition and took top honors. He followed by winning First Prize at the Casadesus Competition and ultimately, in 1996, garnering the Gold Medal and all top prizes at the Leeds International Piano Competition.
Among the conductors he has since collaborated with are Sir Simon Rattle, Jarvi, Dohnanyi, Kreizberg, Sinaisky, Polyansky, Pletnev, and Noll with orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Tokyo Symphony, the National Symphony, and the London Philharmonic. Mr. Itin is a much-lauded soloist during multiple tours throughout the capitals of Europe, Asia, South America, and the United States.
Ilya Itin’s 2009–2010 season included sold-out recitals throughout the world including appearances at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, the Miami International Piano Festival, Jupiter Chamber Players in New York, and Princeton University, where he has been a featured artist at the Golandsky Institute and gives master classes, teaches, and performs. He has recently toured with the China National Symphony (Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto), the Bilkent Symphony in Ankara (Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto), in Mumbai with the Symphony Orchestra of India (Brahms Second Piano Concerto), and with the Mexico City Philharmonic (Prokofiev’s Third Concerto).
Ilya Itin opened the 2010 Masters Series of the Miami International Piano Festival with an historic set of two solo recitals of Russian piano music featuring an all-Prokofiev program in the afternoon and the 24 Preludes of Rachmaninov the same evening. The recitals will be distributed on the VAI label as a live DVD recording later this year.
Mr. Itin’s repertoire and artistry are wide-ranging, and he is equally at home playing music of Bach and Messiaen. When BBC TV music critic Ian Burnside was asked which repertoire of Mr. Itin’s he most recommended to his listeners, he replied that it was impossible to choose a single composer. In fact, Burnside said, “...I’d go hear him play the phonebook...” (BBC TV)
Ilya Itin’s growing set of recordings includes Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto with the Jerusalem Camerata on the JDR label, Prokofiev’s Sixth Sonata, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition released by VAI. Mr. Itin has also issued numerous chamber music recordings including the newly released DVD of Beethoven’s “Spring” Sonata and Brahms Viola Sonata with Igor and Vesna Gruppman, as well as a recital with legendary violinist Ida Haendel at the Miami International Piano Festival. “[Itin’s playing is] borderline unbelievable in its combined power and accuracy which is achieved with the minimum of physical effort. Remarkable, which all readers should experience at least once...” (International Piano Magazine)
Born in Ekatarinburg, Russia, Ilya Itin studied piano throughout his childhood guided by Natalia Litvinova. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory with highest honors, working there with Lev Naumov. It was while attending the conservatory that Mr. Itin won his first major piano competition, taking second place in the Russian National Rachmaninov Competition.
Ilya Itin resides in New York City. He is on the teaching faculties of the Graduate Program at CUNY and the Golandsky Institute in Princeton. He is currently a regular guest teacher in the piano department at The Juilliard School and at Peabody Conservatory. Ilya Itin is a grateful recipient of support from the Patrons of Exceptional Artists. He is working with Edna Golandsky.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
For more information please visit www.ilyaitin.com
Back to Top
« RETURN TO FACULTY LIST
