Mikhail Vasilievich Pletnev (Russian: Михаил Васильевич Плетнёв, Mikhail Vaciljievič Pletnev) (born 14 April 1957) in Arkhangelsk, Russia is a pianist, conductor, and composer. April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Arkhangelsk (Russian: ), formerly called Archangel in English, is a city in and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. ... A pianist is a person who plays the piano. ... A conductor conducting at a ceremony A conductors score and batons Conducting is the act of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ...

He was born to a very musical family; his father played and taught accordion, his mother piano.^[1] He entered the Central School of Music at the age of 13 and, in 1974, entered the Moscow Conservatory, under the instruction of the famous pianists and teachers Jacob Flier and Lev Vlasenko. Aged 21, he won the Gold Medal of the VI International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1978, which earned him international recognition and drew great attention worldwide. The next year he made his debut in the United States. He also taught at the Moscow Conservatory. The Moscow Conservatory (Московская Государственная Консерватория им. П.И.Чайковского) is a prominent music school in Russia. ... The International Tchaikovsky Competition is one of the most prestigious classical music competitions in the world. ... The Moscow Conservatory (Московская Государственная Консерватория им. П.И.Чайковского) is a prominent music school in Russia. ...

In 1988, he was invited to perform at the superpower conference in Washington, D.C. At this conference, he met and befriended Mikhail Gorbachev. Because of this friendship, he gained the support to found two years later the Russian National Orchestra in 1990, the first non-government-supported orchestra in Russia since 1917, and was its first principal conductor.^[2] He stepped down as Principal Conductor in the late 1990's, but he is now the orchestra's artistic director.^[3] For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (Russian: ), surname more accurately romanized as Gorbachyov; (born 2 March 1931) is a Russian politician. ... The Russian National Orchestra is an orchestra based in Moscow, Russia. ...

Pletnev's recordings are mostly of Russian works. The first works he recorded were for orchestra, including Sleeping Beauty, Tchaikovsky's 6th and Manfred Symphonies, and Rachmaninov's Second and Third Symphonies. All were well received by critics. His piano repertoire is also very large, including works like The Seasons, many Scarlatti Sonatas, Pictures at an Exhibition, and his own transcriptions of suites from the Nutcraker and Sleeping Beauty.

Pletnev has been an exclusive contract pianist for Deutsche Grammophon since 1996. Logo Deutsche Grammophon is a German record label. ...

Awards and recognitions

Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance: The Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance has been awarded since 1959. ...

• Martha Argerich & Mikhail Pletnev for Prokofiev (Arr. Pletnev): Cinderella Suite for Two Pianos/Ravel: Ma Mere L'Oye (2005)

Martha Argerich in 1962 Martha Argerich (born June 5, 1941) is a concert pianist of Argentine origin. ... Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Russian: , Sergej Sergejevič Prokofijev; April 27 (April 151 O.S.), 1891–March 5, 1953) was a Russian and Soviet composer who mastered numerous musical genres and came to be admired as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. ... Maurice Ravel. ... The 47th Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. ...

References

External links

• Russian National Orchestra (English version)
• Mikhail Pletnev unofficial website