Technical perfection, profound expression, and astonishing intuition: If you ask connoisseurs and colleagues what makes Grigory Sokolov's playing so special, you should expect a lengthy answer. Every note is deliberate, every turn surprising, every phrase meticulously crafted. Sokolov is a pianist who unites technique, expression, and musicality in the highest way – the ideal artist for the closing concert of the Ruhr Piano Festival 2026.
Born in Leningrad in 1950, he won the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow at the age of 16 – a triumph that marked the beginning of a unique career. Since his first appearance at the Ruhr Piano Festival in 1993, he has maintained a close connection with the festival: the 2026 concert will be his 26th performance here – an impressive continuity that underscores his special relationship with this venue.
Regarding his art, Sokolov says: “For me, music is not a profession, 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 the most important thing, not the outer form. Much happens spontaneously, but at a very high level of skill.”
The closing concert of the Ruhr Piano Festival 2026 at the Anneliese Brost Musikforum Ruhr will be an encounter with an artist who understands music as an existential dialogue – and thus makes every note an event.
Contributors:
Grigory Sokolov, piano
Tickets are available from Bochum Tourist Information at Huestraße 9, Tel. 0234 963020, at the box office in the Musikforum, and online at www.bochumer-symphoniker.de
