Dmitry Ishkhanov

Apart from showing incredible potential, Ishkhanov already demonstrates mature and unique artistic capabilities. Amongst his biggest accomplishments, at the age of 14 Ishkhanov debuted in Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and conductor Miran Vaupotić. Furthermore, in September 2016, at the age of 11, Ishkhanov represented Malta at the Eurovision of Young Musicians held in Cologne Germany, and became the youngest finalist in the Eurovision history. Ishkhanov marks this release of Chopin’s works with a return to Carnegie Hall in December 2021.

Born in 2005 in Moscow, Ishkhanov demonstrated an interest in music at the age of four when he started playing the piano with his babysitter. 

Ishkhanov’s family moved to Malta in 2008 and in 2013 — when he was only 8 — he had already completed five grades in Practical Piano of the ABRSM (The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, UK) based in Malta. 

Starting from 2014 and up to 2020, Ishkhanov had been studying in Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln with professors Nina Tichman and Gesa Lücker. Simultaneously, he studied in Humboldt-Gymnasium Köln. Ishkhanov is currently finishing the International Baccalaureate Diploma in the Verdala International School. Though the young age, Ishkhanov has managed to be a participant and a prize winner of many prestigious competitions: “Violin and Friends” in Malta, International Competition of Young Music Talents “Rovere D’Oro” in Italy, XXII Young Pianists International Competition “Citta di Barletta” in Italy, International Piano Competition “Golden Key” in Germany, “Münchner Klavierpodium der Jugend” in Germany, “Jugend Musiziert” in Germany (1st prize), XXV Young Musicians International Competition “FLAME” in France, International Piano Competition “Maria Herrero” in Spain, “Euregio Piano Award” International Piano Competition in Germany, International César-Franck Competition in Belgium, and Pozzolino 3rd International Competition for Young Pianists in Italy. In the latter he won the first absolute prize and Grand Prix in the category up to 19 years. 

Ishkhanov is very active in performing within the framework of various festivals: International Festival “New Names” (Armenia), Valletta International Piano Festival (Malta), Malta International Music Festival (Malta), Rachmaninoff Festival (Germany), ClaviCologne International Piano Festival (Germany), “The Three Palaces” festival (Malta), “Piano Festival Ruhr” (Germany), “Moscow meets friends” festival organized by Vladimir Spivakov International Charity Foundation (Russia), International Classical Musical Festival (Kazakhstan), Nuits Musicales du Suquet 2017 (France), International Piano Festival (Italy), Washington International Piano Festival (USA), San Remo (Italy), Lucerne Festival (Switzerland) and many others, with various orchestras: WDR Orchestra in Cologne Philharmonic, Symphonic Orchestra Duchi d’Acquaviva, the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia, the New Chamber Orchestra of Potsdam, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra NRW (Germany), “Bursa Symphony Orchestra” (Turkey), “Eurasian Symphony Orchestra” (Kazakhstan), “Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra” (Czech Republic), Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra (Russia), Westphalia New Philharmonic Orchestra, Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Rotterdam Orchestra, Savaria Symphonic Orchestra, and at prestigious concerts halls: Kennedy Centre (Washington), Cologne Philharmonic, Smetana Hall (Prague), Beethoven House (Bonn, Germany), Musikverein in Vienna, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Mozarteum Grosser Saal in Salzburg, Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium in New York, and many others. 

From his first piano teacher being Lolita Poghosyan, Ishkhanov never stops improving himself and steadily walks to his big dream. Masterclasses with Arie Vardi (Israel), Jacques Rouvier (France), Pavel Gililov (Germany), Siegfried Mauser (Austria), Andreas Frölich (Germany), Arkady Zinziper (Germany), Leonel Morales (Spain), Andrea Bonatta (Italy), Aquiless Delle Vigne (Argentina), Lev Natochenny (Switzerland), Yoheved Kaplinsky (USA), Valeriy Pyasetskiy (Russia), Felix Gottlieb (Germany), Dmitri Bashkirov (Spain), Vladimir Ovchinnikov (Russia), Jan Jiracek von Arnim (Austria), Grigory Gruzman (Germany), Zhe Tang (China), Alfred Brendel (Austria), Dmitry Alexeev (UK), Bernd Goetzke (Germany), and many others have significantly influenced on Ishkhanov’s young career. Ishkhanov fluently speaks English, German, Russian, and Spanish languages. 

— Mikhail Ishkhanov