These days we started our collaboration with, probably, one of the most brilliant orchestra of the world – Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Incredible, great, with flawless sound, refined style and highest quality of performance orchestra, which can play any repertoire, like Piano concerto #2 or Symphony #6 by Prokofiev. ...

I am positively sure you follow my posts, and you know what happens to me almost every day, but I can’t help sharing some thoughts. These four days were unprecedented in the intensity of events and emotions. Starting with the concert in Milan at Duomo piazza, where more than 10,000 people gathered, continuing with a concert on the Red Square - the cultural opening of the World Cup Russia 2018, the match, that actually opened the World Cup next day, where we won with the score 5:0, and ending with yesterday's visit to the training base of our national team in Novogorsk. ...

Will never stop admire stunning surprises, that happen sometimes on the tour and or even on stage! Today, after a chamber concert with the soloists of the Staatskapelle Dresden in the Small hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, a large man suddenly came up to us on the stage. I was shocked when I recognized Peter Schmeichel, famous goalkeeper of "Manchester United" and the National team of Denmark, in this big tall blond man. For me it was a real shock. It turned out that it was a part of the World Cup 2018 public activities. Peter is shooting videos for RT and will comment on the Championship matches. ...

Several days ago I had a concert in Zurich, in a temporary concert hall of Tonhalle. Legendary Tonhalle is under reconstruction these days, so all concerts take place in the temporary concert hall. This is a new, with special wooden panels inside for phenomenal acoustics. Wood as a material for concert halls, of course, is amazing. We also plan to use this material for the future concert hall in Irkutsk – it will be made of Siberian cedar inside. ...

I’d like to say a few words about this European tour with Maestro Jansons and the Bavarian radio orchestra. Every time I see this man and this orchestra, I remember the day in 2004, when Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin introduced me to Mariss here in Munich. At that concert we performed Shchedrin's Fifth Concerto with the orchestra of the Bavarian radio. Maestro struck me with his amazing magic at first sight: he is an absolutely fantastic conductor and a person. ...

Today we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of «Master Pianist Series» in the famous Hall of the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam). The most famous pianists from around the world took part in this series during these years. Looking through concert posters, I feel proud of the fact that I was invited to take part in this series at the invitation of the organizers many times, because it is, without the slightest exaggeration, unique in every aspect series that sets a very high standard for pianists. This is prestigious pianist series, and not every famous concert hall can boast of a project like this. ...

Some time before in my vlog I showed you Hill Auditorium from the stage and told you some interesting facts about this concert hall. And now, while I am waiting for my flight to Denver, I’d like to share my impressions after concert in Ann Arbor. Hill Auditorium is a legendary concert hall. With unique ambiance. There are only three or four concert halls in America, that have their unique ambiance. I can name Carnegie Hall, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco. And even among those famous halls Hill Auditorium stands out. Thanks to its audience, which come to concerts of Choral Union Series every year. ...

It is less, than three day Crescendo gala concert closed its season for 2015 and I start my European tour already. It promises to be eventful, bright, diverse, pleasant and long awaited - all at the same time. I open a new season in London, in famous Royal Festival Hall with celebrated London orchestra Philharmonia and my dear maestro Yuri Temirkanov today. I always say, that London concerts has a special place in my life: as London is one of the most famous cultural capitals of Europe, as I love and adore London audience, as I maintain warm and close relations with London orchestras. It is a great pleasure to open my new season with my dear friend maestro Temirkanov and wonderful Philharmonia orchestra, which proved to be a truly universal team. I am looking forward to this concert today. ...

Our European tour with maestro Gergiev and a unique orchestra begins! I am talking about National Youth Orchestra of the USA. The most important thing is that musicians in this orchestra are between the ages of 16 and 19 years old, US citizens or permanent residents from different states, who are not enrolled full-time in a college-level conservatory or music department on an instrumental performance major. For the first time auditions for this orchestra took place in 2013 under the initiative of Carnegie Hall and its executive and artistic director Sir Clive Gillinson (exceptionally creative and talented person), the inaugural guest conductor was Valery Gergiev. Their first tour with maestro Valery Gergiev and violinist Joshua Bell included concerts in Washington, DC, Moscow, St. Petersburg and London. ...

Crazy days go on! I am writing to you from “Don” federal highway. It is 240 kilometers from Lipetsk. And I’d like to say, that the highway is of perfect quality! Every day there are new stories, new stages, new audiences, new faces. About my adventures this week in brief. Today I perform in Lipetsk, then there is a week in Munich and Basel, which opens with concerts with Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra and Valery Gergiev, then with Bavarian Radio Orchestra and Mariss Jansons. “Prometheus” by Skryabin, “Rhapsody in Blues” by Gershwin, “Variations on the Theme of Paganini” by Lutoslawsky will be performed. And on 15th of November you can watch live broadcast on Medici.TV of the concert, where we, Valery Gergiev and I will perform Second Concerto by S. Prokofiev. Turn on your TV and computers or watch it through mobile application on you Iphone or Android Phone! ...

15th of October became a big day for me. As I performed Second Concerto by Prokofiev in Yakutsk for the first time. And it was an absolute happiness! ...

It was an amazing day and a very special evening. The day before our concerts on 8th and 9th of October with maestro Jansons and Bavarian Radio Orchestra, which will be recorded on DVD and broadcast live on Medici.TV, Rodion Shchedrin invited us to dinner. I wish I could convey my sentiments, I feel during our conversation with these legendary people. For the first time I came here in 2004, during that visit I recorded Fifth Concerto by Shchedrin with Bavarian Radio Orchestra and Mariss Janons. Orchestra is one of top 5 in the world in quality, emotions and perfectionism to my mind. And today, 11 years later I am here again with Mariss Jansons and Rodion Shchedrin on the eve of season opening for Bavarian Radio Orchestra. ...

Our story with a unique orchestra – Chamber Orchestra “Vienna-Berlin” begins today. We start our grand international tour around Europe in a famous Musikverein. And I am pleased, that we managed to expand the geography of this tour to Russia. To my mind this is a very important and significant event in our cultural life. There are 4 concerts planned in Russia: 18th of May in the Great Hall of Conservatory in Moscow (within my original series), 19th of May in the Great Hall of Philharmonic Society in St. Petersburg, 21st of May – in Ekaterinburg, 22nd of May – in Kazan. And on 24th of May we will perform in Astana (Kazakhstan) the same program. ...

Bravo, Astana! Bravo the unique team, that organized with great enthusiasm the Competition this year. I’d like to thank Imangali Tasmagambetov for this idea and for his constant support for Astana Piano Passion. This Competition turns out to be a musical fairy tale for unique Kazakh hospitality, kindness and heartfulness. There are no more places in the world with such a wonderful atmosphere, healthy approach to competition and a good attitude. These facts affect people all over the world: unbelievable quantity of viewing on official web-site justifies it.  ...

It’s a great pleasure to invite you to my concert in London on 20 January at 19:30 at the Royal Festival Hall. London is one of my favourite cities, I love London atmosphere, the audience, orchestras, with whom I was fortunate enough to play. Luckily, I have formed great relationship with all of them, but still I would like to tell several words about London Symphony Orchestra, with which Maestro Gergiev and I have already planned a lot of interesting projects.  ...

The most fantastic, the most amazing time is approaching - the time the Christmas holidays.  ...

My short visit to Moscow turned out to be extremely fruitful. First there was a meeting of Tchaikovsky Competition 2015 organizing committee in Bolshoi Theatre, where we (with Valery Gergiev and Olga Golodets) made several really important decisions. First of all, we’ve formed the jury of the competition for 90%. The whole list will be announced in January. But now, I can assure you, there are outstanding musician, soloists and professors, in it. Secondly, it was decided that the first selective audition (video-presentations of candidates) will be judged by the main jury of the contest. Due to present-day internet-technologies, they can do it easily without necessity to gather in one place. And third, the voting system’s been transformed as well. Now a member of jury votes “yes” or “no” simply. And this makes the process more transparent and unbiased. Moreover, prizes are really attractive this year. Grand Prix amounts 100 000 US dollars. And laureates will have  an opportunity to perform their debut recitals in the most famous halls with the most famous orchestras and conductors. Media coverage of the Contest will be shared by our old and world famous partner (I’ll tell you its name later) and Kultura TV Channel. ...

As I always say: there is not even one day without improvisation in my life. It gives a peculiar scent to every day. Especially when you are on tour. And today’s happening proves this. As you know I am in Amsterdam right now. Tomorrow we will give a start to a series of concerts with Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and maestro Mariss Jansons. And suddenly I got a phone call from maestro Gergiev, who was curious about where I was at that very moment. And when he got my answer – Amsterdam, he was really pleased and said that he was in Rotterdam. He is to perform a concert there tomorrow with Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (they collaborated for many years). Besides he has a great festival there. And I took part in it many times. ...