Photo: Martin Fleck / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Grigory Sokolov is, for my money, one of the most uncompromising pianists alive. He famously stopped making studio recordings and now lets only live concerts represent him, which I find both maddening and admirable. There is a gravity to his Bach, Couperin and Rameau that makes other interpretations sound rushed. He also refuses to tour the UK over visa indignities, and I respect an artist who treats his own dignity as non-negotiable. The label here calls him American, but he is a Russian and Spanish pianist out of Saint Petersburg. Hearing him is a commitment, and that is exactly the point with a musician this serious.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Grigory Sokolov
- Name (Japanese)
- グリゴリー・ソコロフ
- Reading
- ぐりごりー・そころふ
- Born
- April 18, 1950 (age 76)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Tiger
- Origin
- Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Occupation
- pianist / music educator
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- Merited Artist of the RSFSR
- People's Artist of the RSFSR
- 2003 Prize Franco Abbiati Italian Music
- 2016 Echo Klassik – Instrumentalist of the Year
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Grigory Sokolov born?
Born April 18, 1950 (age 76).
Where is Grigory Sokolov from?
Grigory Sokolov is from Saint Petersburg, Russia.
What does Grigory Sokolov do?
Grigory Sokolov works as pianist, music educator.
Pianist — see all → · Music educator — see all → · More people from Russia →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.