Elisabeth Leonskaja
Encyclopedia
Elisabeth Leonskaja is a noted Georgian
pianist
and teacher. She was born on November 23, 1945 to a Russian family living in Tbilisi
, then the capital of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.
She gave her first concert at the age of eleven. In 1964 she began studies in the Moscow Conservatory
. During her conservatory years she won prizes in the prestigious Enescu
, Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud
and Queen Elizabeth
international piano competitions in Bucharest
, Paris
and Brussels
.
She left the Soviet Union in 1978 and has since then lived in Vienna
. A notable recording of hers is of Edvard Grieg
's piano transcriptions of Mozart's piano sonatas K. 545 and k. 533, accompanied by Sviatoslav Richter
, with whom she built a close friendship and collaboration. She was a member of the piano faculty at the Vienna Conservatory where she has taught several notable performers including Markus Hinterhäuser
.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and teacher. She was born on November 23, 1945 to a Russian family living in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, then the capital of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.
She gave her first concert at the age of eleven. In 1964 she began studies in the Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
. During her conservatory years she won prizes in the prestigious Enescu
George Enescu Festival
The George Enescu Festival , held in honor of the celebrated Romanian composer George Enescu, is the biggest classical music festival and classical international competition held in Romania and one of the biggest in Eastern Europe...
, Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud
Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition
The Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition is an international classical music competition for pianists and violinists that has operated in France since 1943. It was created by the pianist Marguerite Long and the violinist Jacques Thibaud...
and Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elisabeth Music Competition
The Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, a founding member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions has been, since its foundation, considered the world over to be one of the most prestigious and most difficult. It is devoted to violin , piano , to composition and to singing...
international piano competitions in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
.
She left the Soviet Union in 1978 and has since then lived in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. A notable recording of hers is of Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
's piano transcriptions of Mozart's piano sonatas K. 545 and k. 533, accompanied by Sviatoslav Richter
Sviatoslav Richter
Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter was a Soviet pianist well known for the depth of his interpretations, virtuoso technique, and vast repertoire. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Childhood:...
, with whom she built a close friendship and collaboration. She was a member of the piano faculty at the Vienna Conservatory where she has taught several notable performers including Markus Hinterhäuser
Markus Hinterhäuser
Markus Hinterhäuser is an Austrian pianist and the current Artistic Director of the Salzburg Festival. He studied music at the Vienna Conservatory under Elisabeth Leonskaja and the Mozarteum University of Salzburg under Oleg Maisenberg...
.