Grigory Sokolov | Closing Concert

Programme:

Works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert

Technical perfection, profound expression, and astonishing intuition - when experts and fellow musicians are asked what makes Grigory Sokolov's playing so distinctive, one should prepare for a lengthy answer. Every note sounds considered, every turn surprising, every phrase carefully shaped. Sokolov is a pianist who unites technique, expression, and musicality at the highest level - the ideal artist for the closing concert of Piano Festival Ruhr 2026.

Born in 1950 in Leningrad, he won the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow at age 16 - a triumph that marked the beginning of a unique career. Since his debut at Piano Festival Ruhr in 1993, he has been closely tied to the festival: his 2026 concert is his 26th appearance here - an impressive continuity that underscores his special relationship with this place.

On his art, Sokolov says: "Music is not a profession for me, but an aspect of life. As natural as breathing. You don't know how you breathe - you just do it. It's the same with music. It is life. The inner world is what matters most, not the outer form. Much happens spontaneously, but at a very high level of work."

The closing concert of Piano Festival Ruhr 2026 at Anneliese Brost Musikforum Ruhr will be an encounter with an artist who understands music as an existential dialogue - and thereby transforms every note into an event.

Performers:

Grigory Sokolov, piano

Photo Grigory Sokolov: © Vico Chamla