Since winning first prize at the 2013 Cleveland International Piano Competition (CIPC), Stanislav Khristenko has been launched on a career-changing path of concertizing, recording, and learning new repertoire. He is, at varying times, exhausted, exhilarated, and contemplative. At all times he is focused on the future, making certain that he is well prepared for the next concert, the next season, or the next ten years. Stanislav Khristenko is not the kind of man who takes things for granted.
“For the next three to four years I am committed to learning as much repertoire as possible, while I am young and able to do it,” he says. “It is difficult, and it will be very busy for some time, but this way, I will have many concerti and recital programs in my repertoire. It will be much easier after this.”
This season he is playing eight different concerti – including Brahms Nos. 1 and 2, Rachmaninoff No. 2, Liszt No. 1, Tchaikovsky No. 1, and Mozart Nos. 20, 23, and 24. He also is playing three entirely different recital programs. The season includes performances throughout the U.S., as well as Korea, Spain, Belgium, and Bulgaria.
Looking back over the past year, several events stand out as highlights. First was a recital performance in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall in May, which was part of the first prize award from CIPC. His program began with Bartók’s tumultuous Piano Sonata, Sz. 80 and ended with Prokofiev’s thundering “Stalingrad” Sonata. Between these masterworks, Stanislav wove a spell with works by Zemlinsky, Krenek, Liszt, and Chopin. He was rewarded with multiple standing ovations, and an excellent review from New York Times critic Zachary Woolfe.
Another highlight was a summer concert tour in China, where he played five recitals in nine days, then took a little time to visit some of the incredible sites of the country.
He also released Fantasies, an album on the Steinway & Sons label, which is another part of his first prize award. Featuring works by Schumann, Bruckner, Zemlinsky, and Brahms, the disc received unanimously outstanding reviews. Next year, Stanislav will release a second volume of works by Ernst Krenek.
Listen to audio clips, watch videos, and keep up with all of Stanislav’s interesting programs and projects on his Facebook page or website, khristenko.com.