Eduard Kunz

Eduard Kunz , (born October 30, 1980, in Omsk, Soviet Union) is a Russian pianist. He reached the 2nd round in the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011.

Biography Eduard was born in Siberia from an assimilated minority German ethnic in Russia. He studied with Michail Khokhlov at the Gnessin Special school for gifted children and with Andrei Diev at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. studying with Norma Fisher and the late Mark Ray.

Named among 10 tomorrow's great pianists by the BBC Music Magazine, Eduard Kunz has performed and broadcast with many major orchestras in the UK and International Paderewski Piano Competition in Bydgoszcz.

Other awards included Silver medal from The Worshipful Company of Musicians in London, awards from Hattori and Musical Foundation, Dame Myra Hess and Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe

Eduard's stage partners include Yulian Rachlin, Patricia Kopachinskaya, Sol Gabetta, Vilde Frang, Boris Andrianov, Aleksandr Ghindin and Yuriy Medyanik. Eduard's performances were recorded by all major European stations including BBC Radio 3, Radio France and Deutsche Radio Kultur and Russian Orpheus. Eduard radio recordings include Piano Concerto No. 10 (Mozart) with BBC Scottish Orchestra, Piano Concerto No. 3 (Beethoven) and Piano Concerto No. 1(Tchaikovsky) with Ulster Orchestra Northern Ireland, Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninoff) with BBC Concert Orchestra, Schumann and Dmitri Shostakovich concertos with WNO and the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini by Sergei Rachmaninoff with BBC Symphony Orchestra, as well as a recording with Alexandru Tomescu of complete repertoire for violin and piano by George Enescu.

Eduard is the co-founder of Kunz Piano Academy in Brașov, Romania, where he invites young artists from all around the world twice a year for a week of public masterclasses. In 2020, the academy will have its 4th edition.

Eduard is a Moscow Philharmonic Society Artist, Verbier Festival laureate, a former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist (2006–2008) and a Yamaha Artist.

He is featured in the 2010 film A Surprise in Texas about the 2009 Van Cliburn Foundation competition.

Awards and Competitions

+ Year Award 1997 Spivakov Foundation Award 2002 Richter Award, Rostropovich Foundation 2004 Erik Chisholm Memorial Prize 2004 Royal Northern College of Music's Gold Medal 2004 Dame Myra Hess Award 2004 Worshipful Company of Musicians Silver Medal 2005 Yamaha Music Foundation Award 2005 Hattori Foundation Award 2006 MIFCO Award 2006 BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist 2007 Verbier Festival laureate

+ Year Competition Prize 2000 III Sabitov International Piano Competition 1st prize 2001 IV Horowitz International Piano Competition 3rd prize 2002 III Bitola International Music Competition 1st prize 2002 II Enschede International Piano Competition 1st prize 2002 Grand Konzerteum International Piano Competition 1st prize 2005 Dudley International piano Competition 1st prize 2005 Bromsgrove International musicians Competition 1st prize 2005 Manchester Piano Award 1st prize 2007 XVIII George Enescu International Competition 1st prize 2007 XIII Città di Sulmona International Piano Competition 1st prize 2007 VIII Vietri sul Mare International Piano Competition Winner 2007 VIII Premi Principat d'Andorra 1st prize 2008 Pinerolo International Piano Competition 1st prize 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Jury Discretionary Award 2009 San Nicola di Bari International Piano Competition Winner 2009 XVII Frechilla-Zuloaga Piano Award 1st prize 2010 22nd New Orleans International Piano Competition 1st prize 2010 8th Paderewski International Piano Competition 1st prize