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The young Moscow-born, Israeli pianist is lauded across the globe as a deeply sensitive, insightful and compelling interpreter. Critics have praised his “singing line, variety of touch and broad dynamic palette capable of great surges of energy” (Washington Post) as well as his impassioned, narrative-driven approach to performance: “the interplay of spiritual calm and emphatic engagement is gripping, and one could not wish for a more illuminating, lyrical or more richly phrased interpretation” (Suddeutsche Zeitung). At home in repertoire ranging from Beethoven to Shostakovich, in recent years he has been increasingly recognized as a leading interpreter of Rachmaninov: “His originality stems from a convergence of heart and mind, served by immaculate technique and motivated by a deep and abiding love for one of the 20th century’s greatest composer-pianists.” (Gramophone).
Giltburg has appeared with many leading orchestras such as Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Philharmonia Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, NHK Symphony, DSO Berlin, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic, St Petersburg Philharmonic and Baltimore Symphony. He made his BBC Proms debut in 2010, his Australia debut in 2017 (with the Adelaide and Tasmanian Symphony orchestras) and has frequently toured to South America and China, also touring Germany with the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. He has played recitals in leading venues such as Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, Carnegie Hall, London Southbank Centre, Louvre and Amsterdam Concertgebouw.
In 2018/19 Giltburg debuts with the WDR Sinfonieorchester and the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (both with their Chief Conductors) and with the Orquesta da Valencia, and returns to the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, all in their main series. He returns to the Seattle Symphony and debuts with the Milwaukee symphony, returns to Argentina and tours China with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Petrenko. His recital appearances this season take in the Frick (New York), Portland Piano Festival, Chopin Society St Paul, Tokyo’s Toppan Hall, Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, National Concert Hall Taiwan, Wigmore Hall, Elbphilharmonie, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and Bayerische Rundfunk, also the Schleswig-Holstein, Ludwigsburg, Raiding Liszt and Duszniki Chopin festivals.
He has a close relationship with the Pavel Haas Quartet, winning a Gramophone Award 2018 for their Dvorak Piano Quintet on Supraphon, and joining them in 18/19 at the Wigmore, Hohenems Schubertiade, and in Stuttgart and Essen.
In 2018 he also won Best Soloist Recording (20/21st century) at the inaugural Opus Klassik Awards for his Naxos recording of Rachmaninov’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Carlos Miguel Prieto, coupled with the Etudes-Tableaux. Earlier this year Naxos released his recording with the same forces of the 3rd Piano Concerto and Corelli Variations, which has already garnered spectacular reviews. He won a Diapason d’Or for his first concerto recording - the Shostakovich concerti with Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, coupled with his own arrangement of Shostakovich’s 8th String Quartet; and his Schumann and Beethoven solo discs on Naxos have been similarly well received. His 2012 Orchid release of the Prokofiev Sonatas was shortlisted for the critics’ award at the Classical Brits, and was closely followed by a Romantic sonatas disc (Rachmaninov, Liszt, Grieg).
Born in 1984 in Moscow, Boris Giltburg moved to Tel Aviv at an early age, studying with his mother and then with Arie Vardi. He went on to win numerous awards, most recently the second (and audience) prize at the Rubinstein in 2011, and in 2013 he won first prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition, catapulting his career to a new level. In 2015 he began a long-term recording plan with Naxos Records.
Boris is an avid amateur photographer and blogger, writing about classical music for a non-specialist audience.