Short Biography: Medium Biography

IRINA LANKOVA, pianist

Short biography:

“Irina Lankova will make you fall in love with classical music”, affirms L’Echo, leading Belgian media. By bringing personal and fresh touch into her piano recitals, including narration or video projections, Irina Lankova breaks the barriers and taking her audiences with her on an emotional journey.

Steinway Artist since 2008, she is invited to perform on prestigious stages all over the world. Described by international critics as a pianist with a “genuinely poetic touch”(The Independent) and an “infinite palette of colours”(La Libre Belgique), Irina Lankova creates her own poetic musical universe. Author of the innovative projects Piano Unveiled and Goldberg Visions, Irina Lankova wants, above all, to share the emotion.

Medium biography:

Born in Russia and graduated with the highest honors from Gnessin College of Music in Moscow and from Brussels Royal Conservatory, she studied with great pianists of Russian Piano School such as Vladimir Tropp and Evgeny Moguilevsky and later received personal guidance from Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Steinway Artist since 2008, she is invited to perform on prestigious stages all over the world, including Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Salle Gaveau and The Concertgebouw. Described by international critics as a pianist with a “genuinely poetic touch”(The Independent) and an “infinite palette of colours”(La Libre Belgique), Irina Lankova creates her own poetic musical universe. Author of the innovative projects Piano Unveiled and Goldberg Visions, Irina Lankova wants, above all, to share the emotion.

Long biography:

Irina Lankova performs on prestigious stages all over the world such as Wigmore Hall in London, Salle Gaveau in Paris, Flagey in Brussels, Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, Piano Folie, Sagra Musicale Umbra, Cidades das Artes in Rio, and many others. The season 2021/22 includes recitals at Carnegie Hall in New York, Salle Gaveau and Salle Cortot in Paris, and The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

After her successful debut at Wigmore hall in 2008, Irina Lankova was invited to join the worldwide piano elite Steinway Artists.

Willing to bring more people to classical music, Irina Lankova develops a number of innovative projects. During her narrated concerts Piano Unveiled, she speaks to her audience, drawing parallels between historical facts and evoking connections with other art forms. The concept meets a big success, also on the Internet in a form of short series. The artist’s official YouTube channel counts several million views.

In 2020, she develops a multimedia project Goldberg Visions together with a video artist Isabelle Françaix, which brings film as a counterpoint to the timeless masterpiece of Johann Sebastien Bach.

In March 2021, Irina Lankova releases her new album Elégie with a very personal selection of her favorite works by Rachmaninov, Schubert, and Bach. The photos and the film that accompany the album were made by the renowned photographer Peter Lindbergh. Her previous albums dedicated to Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Chopin, and Schubert are highly acclaimed by critics for their “great sensitivity”(Pianiste), “very personal narrative” (La Libre Belgique), and “compelling authority”(The Independent).

Passionate by sharing classical music and her experience, Irina Lankova gives Master Classes. Since 2015, she is the artistic director of Max Festival, an international music festival in Belgium.

Described by international critics as a pianist with a “genuinely poetic touch”(The Independent) and an “infinite palette of colours”(La Libre Belgique), Irina Lankova creates her own poetic musical universe and contributes to popularise classical music worldwide.

A selection of press reviews:

THE INDEPENDENT (UK) "Her touch is genuinely poetic, and she works on a large tonal canvas, conjuring moods and atmospheres with compelling authority."

LA LIBRE BELGIQUE (BEL) " The eloquent, colourful and dynamic sound of the piano enables the listener to sense in an exceptional way the personal feelings of the interpreter. The play is clear, the lead is natural, colours are infinite. A real talent!"

INTERNATIONAL RECORD REVIEW (UK) “A first–rate recording does justice to the wonderful rich array of sounds that she coaxes from her instrument.”

PIANIST (FR) "She offers her own narrative with intimate, genuine playing and great sensitivity"

MUSICAL OPINION (UK) "The Wigmore Hall debut was totally convincing and intensely musical"

L’ÉDUCATION MUSICALE (FR) “A magnificent interpretation, interiorised, contrasted and poetic, of a big sincerity and without any affectation. The great art, undoubtedly!”