BIOGRAPHY
An artist of great creativity and charisma, Mikhail Rudy has enthused audiences worldwide for 50 years with his virtuosity and poetic imagination.
Born in Russia, he studied with illustrious pianist Jakov Flier at the legendary Moscow Conservatory Tchaikowsky and won First Prize at the Marguerite Long Competition in Paris in 1975 (presently Concours Long-Thibaud-Crespin).
Soon after, during his first concert tour, he was granted political asylum by France.
After his Western debut in Beethoven Triple Concerto with Rostropovitch and Stern at the occasion of Marc Chagall’s 90th birthday, he has played with the most prestigious conductors, from Karajan to Maazel, Jansons or Tilson Thomas.
Rudy has published more than 30 recordings which have won numerous international prizes, including the Prix Charles Cros for his Scriabine integral or the Prix de l’Académie Française du Disque for his complete Rachmaninov concerti/Saint-Petersburg Philharmonic/Jansons.
In its special issue the BBC Magazine mentioned Mikhail Rudy among the 20 greatest pianists in the world.
A writing enthusiast, in 2008 Rudy published at Rocher Editions his first autobiographical book The Novel of a Pianist, unanimously praised by the press. The same year Andy Sommer directed a film portrait titled Mikhail Rudy, The Novel of a Pianist for television channel France 2.
Mikhail Rudy’s curiosity has led him to explore different forms of art and to develop numerous innovative projects:
He recently served as the musical director of the exhibition Kandinsky and Music at the Philharmonie de Paris, which broke attendance records for exhibitions at the Philharmonie. This exhibition was the culmination of his creation of the film and performance based on Kandinsky’s stage version and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, first presented at the Cité de la Musique and since performed around the world.
Likewise, at the request of the Chagall family, he created an animated film based on Chagall’s sketches and final version of the ceiling of the Paris Opera.
He has also collaborated with major artists from a wide range of artistic worlds, including:
- The Quay Brothers, the cult animation filmmakers, on his project Metamorphoses, premiered at the Cité de la Musique and later presented at the MoMA in New York.
- Jeff Mills, the legendary techno musician, for their duo concerts and recording When Time Splits.
- Marie-Agnès Gillot, renowned étoile dancer.
- Philippe Parreno, one of today’s most innovative visual artists, on several projects including Petrushka at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris and a two-month residency at the Park Avenue Armory in New York.
Passionate about writing, Mikhail Rudy’s books reveal a deep attachment to the French language. His autobiography The Novel of a Pianist, recently republished, and his novel The Disciple portray a sensitive artist driven by a love of freedom and creativity.