Mikhail Pletnev in Leipzig

Mikhail Pletnev is a Russian pianist, conductor and composer, born in Arkhangelsk in 1957. He won the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1978 and became known for interpretations of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Scarlatti, as well as his solo-piano transcriptions of music from The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty. In 1990, he founded the Russian National Orchestra in Moscow and subsequently appeared with the ensemble as both conductor and piano soloist. His concert work also encompasses solo recitals and concerto performances in halls including Carnegie Hall in New York and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.