Elena Kuschnerova

Elena Kuschnerova (; born 6 January 1959 in Moscow) is a Russian-born classical pianist.

Biography Elena Kuschnerova was born into a musical family in Moscow. She began her piano education at the age of five with her mother. At seven, she became a student of Tatyana Kestner at the Moscow Central Music School. At the age of nine, Kuschnerova made her first appearance with orchestra conducted by Aram Khachaturian playing Bach's Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F minor, which was recorded by Radio Moscow. Upon graduation she studied at the Moscow Conservatory with Sergei Dorensky. After receiving her diploma (with honors) in 1982, she went on tour in the Soviet Union for the next eight years. Foreign appearances and participation in international competitions were not allowed by Soviet authorities.

In 1992 Kuschnerova emigrated to Germany and started a new career there. In the following years, she earned international acclaim giving concerts in Western Europe, USA and Japan. In 1982 he dedicated a piano cycle "Prelude and Theme with Variations" to her. She premiered it the same year; Siegfried Matthus, "Die Sehnsucht nach der verlorenen Melodie" ("Longing for the lost tune"), piano concerto. First performance by Elena Kuschnerova 2002 in Dresden with Dresden Philharmonic orchestra, conductor Marek Janowski; Mikhail Kollontay, piano concerto op. 45. First performance by Elena Kuschnerova 2011 in the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, conductor Freddy Cadena; Mikhail Kollontay, Seven Romantic Ballads, op. 2bis.

Harold Schonberg, the former chief music critic for The New York Times, wrote about Kuschnerova's "Scriabin - 12 Études, Op. 8, 24 Preludes, Op. 11, 2 Poèmes, Op. 32" CD in the American Record Guide: "These are the best recorded performances I am familiar with".

Jürgen Otten names Kuschnerova in Die großen Pianisten der Gegenwart (The Great Pianists of Modern Times) together with Elisabeth Leonskaja and Lilya Zilberstein as the three most notable Russian female pianists. He acknowledges her "flawless technique" and "enormous tonal wisardry" and calls her "pianist par excellence".

Selected recordings Peter Tschaikowsky, Robert Schumann, Frédéric Chopin, Gounod–Liszt, Claude Debussy, Sergei Prokofiev. Bella Musica, 1996 Sergei Prokofiev - Romeo & Juliet, Ten Pieces for Piano, Op. 75, Piano Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 14, March from the Opera The Love for Three Oranges, Op. 33. Ars Musici (GER), 1997 Alexander Scriabin - 12 Études, Op. 8, 24 Preludes, Op. 11, 2 Poèmes, Op. 32. Ars Musici, 2000 Johann Sebastian Bach - Italian concerto, BWV 971, French Suite No. 2 in C minor, BWV 813, Toccata in E minor, BWV 914, Partita No. 6, BWV 830, Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 871, from The Well-Tempered Clavier. Orfeo, 2001 Modest Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition, Piano pieces. Orfeo, 2002 Live in Tokyo (Domenico Scarlatti, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Sergei Prokofiev, Bach–Siloti). Steinway Japan, 2002 Igor Stravinsky - Piano works. Ars Produktion, 2005 Johannes Brahms - Piano pieces, Op. 116–119. Ars Produktion, 2005 Johannes Brahms - Four Ballads, Op. 10. Mikhail Kollontay - Romantic Ballads, Op. 2bis. Ars Produktion, 2008 Frédéric Chopin - Piano concertos Nos. 1 & 2 (arr. chamber ensemble). Major, 2010 Frédéric Chopin - Piano concertos Nos. 1 & 2. Major, 2010. Robert Schumann - Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26, Beethoven Études, WoO 31, Variations on the name "Abegg", Op. 1, Fantasiestücke, Op. 12. Glor, 2011 Robert Schumann - Carnaval, Op.9, Symphonic Études, Op. 13. Glor, 2012 Mikhail Kollontay - Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 45. Sergei Prokofiev - Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 53. Moscow Radio, 2015 Johann Sebastian Bach - Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I. Major, 2015