Igor Levit

“Igor Levit played these [Tchaikovsky] Minatures with a very warm and round sound and a fine dynamic culture; even during the forte passages, in the stormy August-number, the sound was never hard and tinny, instead it remained full of substance and taste” (Weser Kurier, January 2012)

“Igor Levit has learnt everything that there is to know about music. He plays responsibly, with control, consideration and thoughtfulness. He simply has everything that one could wish for: the technique and above all a dream of a pianistic touch. It really is unbelievable for a pianist of his age.” (Kulturradio, September 2011)

“The pianist Igor Levit impressed again with his unpretentious, clever and pure playing, both in chamber music and orchestral ensembles and – as a further fantastic high point – as a soloist with the [Shostakovich] 24 Preludes op.34.” (September 2011, Sächsische Zeitung)

“Levit’s incredibly smooth, shining, magical water games during Liszt’s Jeux d’eau de la Villa d’Este or Ravel’s Jeux d’eau found a mature climax in the density of expression...a wonderful, captivating debut at the Rheingau Music Festival...Perfect technical control… [Igor Levit] lit up the polyphonic structures with ease” (Allgemeine Zeitung, August 2011)

“A culture of the finest nuances and soft sounds, a singing piano sound. In short, the 24 year old showed an outstanding level of musicality.” (Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine, July 2011)

“He remained songlike, descriptive, clear-sighted and blissfully melodic… he vividly painted imaginary visions of joy and suffering, of exultation and descension, and beauty and sadness. Music as artistically ennobled communication at the highest technical level.” (Der Westen, June 2011)

“Such an absolutely reliable virtuoso skill and a creative power, which excellently handles the balancing act between precision and the necessary degree of freedom - something one doesn’t see every day. Levit’s art ranges from the softest pleasing tones to steely fortissimo, which is never too loud, even in the wildest chord-storms, always remaining thoughtfully constructed.” (Göttinger Tageblatt, April 2011)

“It is hard to decide was the most amazing thing about Igor Levit’s passionate piano recital in the Schumann-Saal. It was a great, enthralling evening without weakness in a monstrously difficult programme… The 23 year old is right at the top of the list of the up and coming piano stars, and rightly so.” (Rheinische Post, November 2010)

“Igor Levit: The pianist of the moment. Eleonore Büning, the eloquent music critic for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung was right when she recently recommended an unknown pianist to her astounded readers. Apparently the 23 year old Igor Levit is already one of the most important performers of our time.

"One would agree with this after the Ocean Sun Festival. Levit played captivating chamber music with the Munich Philharmonic Quartet and Ariel Zuckermann: Most of the audience thankfully even found the program with flute works from Frank Martin and Sergei Prokofiev a culinarly delight! The pianist also proved himself in Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes – he played all 12 – as an artist who solves any technical complexities with boldness” (Die Presse, July 2010)

“The young Igor Levit, who shows not only great technical accomplishment but also a remarkable artistic maturity, shaped [Prokofiev’s] concerto forcefully... a brilliant performance.” (Neue Zürcher Zeitung, April 2009)