Russian Virtuoso Daniil Trifonov to Make Long-Awaited Australian Debut

Twenty-five year-old Daniil Trifonov has taken the musical world by storm. Ever since his astounding prize-winning performance at the XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011, critics have been quick to draw comparisons between the young Russian pianist and the likes of Liszt and Rachmaninoff. Argentinean piano legend Martha Argerich, also set to make her Australian debut with the SSO in 2017, classifies Trifonov as being in a league of his own: "he has everything and more... I've never heard anything like it."

Sydney audiences will have the chance to hear this extraordinary, once-in-a-generation musician make his Australian debut when he performs Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) on the 1, 3 and 4 March, followed by a solo recital of works by Schumann, Shostakovich and Stravinsky on the 6 March.

Trifonov rose to fame in 2011 when, at only 20 years of age, he was awarded First Prize at the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition and the Gold Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition within the space of a few weeks. He has been in demand as a recitalist and concerto soloist across the world ever since, with The Times describing him as, "Without question the most astounding young pianist of our age."

Trifonov is known for possessing a prodigious intellect and unquenchable curiosity, immersing himself completely in each piece of music he learns.

"I am interested in the construction of a piece, the harmony, the smallest details and how it all works," Trifonov explained to BBC Music Magazine last year. "Throughout the process, the interpretation evolves. It's a bit like a surfer on a wave - there is a certain flow that you need to go with."

In 2013 Trifonov signed an exclusive recording agreement with the prestigious Deutsche Gramophone. His debut release with the label - Transcendental - recorded live at Carnegie Hall, features works by Liszt, Scriabin and Chopin.

Following his concerts with the SSO, Trifonov will perform concerts with the Western Symphony Orchestra on the 10 & 11 March, a recital at the Melbourne Recital Centre on 14 March, and concerts with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra on the 16, 18 & 20 March.

Tickets available from the SSO Box Office on (02) 8215 4600 or choose your own seat at sydneysymphony.com.

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