Biography

Russian-born pianist Sergei Podobedov has been described by conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky as "a magnificent pianist who possesses outstanding virtuosic skills combined with true musicality and a refined sense of style." Since making his orchestral debut at the age of twelve performing Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2, Podobedov has toured extensively worldwide, performing major concert repertoire, championing new works, and delivering fully improvised solo recitals.

Throughout his career, Sergei has appeared at major international venues, including London's Wigmore Hall, the Southbank Centre (The Purcell Room), Kings Place, Fairfield Halls, and St James's Piccadilly; Moscow's Tchaikovsky Hall and the Bolshoi Hall of The Moscow Conservatory; and San Francisco's Herbst Theater. His dynamic live performances consistently draw high praise; following a recent London recital, Jeremy D. Rowe (Wagner News) noted: "The astonishing Russian virtuoso pianist Sergei Podobedov, whose breathtaking readings of both Prokofiev and Chopin had the audience enthralled."

In addition to numerous radio broadcasts on major international stations, Sergei has worked with leading conductors including Michael Morgan, Vladimir Weiss, Antonio Pirolli, Raymond Harvey, and David Andre. He regularly tours across the UK, Russia, and Europe; as a chamber musician, he has collaborated with esteemed artists such as violinists Yuri Kalnits and Yuri Zhislin, as well as cellists Julia Morneweg and Kristina Blaumane.

His remarkable talent was recognized early in his career. In 1990, he became the first-ever recipient of a Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother Scholarship at the Royal College of Music, as well as the youngest-ever winner of the Edward Boyle Award in London. The following year, at the special invitation of HM The Queen Mother, Sergei performed and collaborated with Sir John Gielgud at Windsor Castle.

Beyond his traditional recital work, Podobedov has established a unique presence in contemporary performance through his 'Dimensions' series. Reviving the premier improvisation practices common in the 18th and 19th centuries, he performs fully improvised solo recitals—literally composing large-scale works in real-time in front of his audiences. This innovative direction has been hailed by David Braid (Music & Vision Daily) as resulting in "a strong, structurally coherent work of music, that surpasses much contemporary composition."

Podobedov also boasts a highly acclaimed and continually expanding discography. His recording of the complete piano works of pre-WWII Russian composer Boris Goltz—the first-ever complete recording of this repertoire—attracted immense international praise. Jim Svejda (Classical KUSC Los Angeles) called it "Everything that world premiere recordings need to be," while AllMusic described the preludes as "crystalline and perfect."

Other notable releases include a live recording of Haydn, Prokofiev, Schumann, and Lyadov on the Cristofori label; Alan Hovhaness's Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra on Sanctuary Records (praised as "an unusual masterpiece"); and an album featuring the chamber and instrumental music of British composer David Braid on Toccata Classics, recorded alongside the Erato Piano Trio and Yuri Kalnits.

Sergei is a graduate of The Moscow Central School of Music, The Tchaikovsky Conservatory, and The Royal College of Music.