Alexandra Knight
Artist Manager
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alexandra@knightclassical.com
Johan Pieters
Artist Services Manager
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Vadym Kholodenko
Highlights
Danish National Symphony Orchestra
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra
National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan
Norwegian Radio Orchestra
Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi
Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI
Orchestre National de Bordeaux Aquitaine
Orquesta Nacional de España
Philadelphia Orchestra
Residentie Orkest
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
SWR Symphonieorchester
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Video
Biography
Combining fierce pianism, an unrivalled breadth of repertoire, and a level of interpretative refinement that transcends to the realms of poetry, Vadym Kholodenko rises as an artist the likes of which the world has rarely seen since the great pianists of the Golden Age.
Gold Medallist of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Kholodenkoâs distinguished pianism and profound artistic gifts have led to invitations from many of the worldâs finest orchestras and concert halls.
Read MoreHighlights include concerto performances with leading orchestras of North America (Atlanta Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra); Europe (Danish National Symphony, London Philharmonic, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano G. Verdi, and the Orquesta Nacional de España); and Asia & the Far East (National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra). He has held the position of Artist-in-Residence with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (Texas, USA) and the SWR Sinfonieorchester (Stuttgart, Germany).
Kholodenko has forged strong musical partnerships with many of the worldâs leading conductors, and has had the pleasure of collaborating with Karina Canellakis, Myung-Whun Chung, Cristian MÄcelaru, Gemma New, Dima Slobodeniouk, Thomas SĂžndergĂ„rd, Krzyzstof UrbaĆski, and Kazuki Yamada, amongst others.
In recital, Kholodenko appears on the worldâs leading stages â from London, Paris, and Vienna, to Boston, Chicago, and New York â where he is praised for his âiron-clad technique, capable of moments of crystalline delicacyâ (The Guardian). He is also a thoughtful and committed chamber musician, enjoying rewarding collaborations with an array of such artists as Clara Jumi-Kang, Anastasia Kobekina, Vadim Repin, and the Belcea and Jerusalem string quartets. He has made numerous recordings with violinist Alena Baeva, with whom recent and forthcoming appearances include concerts in the cultural capitals of Florence, London, and Paris.
Possessing an extraordinary facility for the assimilation of music, the sheer scale of of Kholodenkoâs knowledge and command of the piano literature is unrivalled, and he holds a vast array of active repertoire. His discography to date encompasses solo piano works by a diverse list of composers (J.S. Bach, Balakirev, Beethoven, Chaplygin, Kurbatov, Liszt, Medtner, Prokofiev, Rachmaninov, Rzewski, Schubert, Scriabin, Siloti, Stravinsky, and Tchaikovsky, amongst others). Recordings for the Harmonia Mundi record label include the Grieg Piano Concerto, Saint-SaĂ«ns Piano Concerto No.2, and the complete cycle of Prokofievâs piano concertos.
Kholodenkoâs recordings have been described as âtruly outstandingâ (Gramophone Magazine), and received such accolades as Editorâs Choice Award (BBC Music Magazine), and the much-coveted Diapason dâOr de lâannĂ©e. His latest release â a pairing of Beethovenâs Diabelli Variations and Rzewskiâs The People United Will Never Be Defeated! for the Quartz Music label (2022) â met with tremendous critical acclaim, described as âcarefully contoured and impactfulâ (BBC Music Magazine), and âplaying that pulls no punches: Kholodenko is in the elite of classical pianistsâ (Norman Lebrecht, for The Critic).
Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, Vadym Kholodenko took his first piano lessons at the age of six, and began touring internationally at thirteen years old. He was educated at the Kyiv Lysenko State Music Lyceum and the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatoire, under the renowned pedagogues Natalia Gridneva, Borys Fedorov, and Vera Gornostaeva. He won First Prize at the Sendai International Piano Competition (2010) and Schubert International Piano Competition (2011), before taking the Gold Medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (2013). He is now resident in Luxembourg.
News
Vadym Kholodenko: Rheingau Musik Festival
On 16 August 2023, Vadym Kholodenko makes his debut at the Rheingau Musik Festival, performing...
Alena Baeva & Vadym Kholodenko: Yorkshire, UK
Alena Baeva and Vadym Kholodenko perform a variety of concerts at the North York Moors Chamber...
Vadym Kholodenko: PĂ€rnu, Estonia
On 4 July 2023, Vadym Kholodenko opens the festival âEstonian Piano Summerâ in PĂ€rnu, Estonia.
Reviews
âPlaying that pulls no punches: Kholodenko is in the elite of classical pianistsâ
âKholodenko demonstrates an iron-clad technique, capable of moments of crystalline delicacyâ
âA passionate musician with an inherent muscularity and weight to his touch, Kholodenko plays with great colour, poetry, and verve.â
âThoughtful and expressive, Kholodenko finds a gentleness that is very appealingâ
âCarefully contoured and impactfulâ
âMagnificent polish and beautyâ
âTechnically phenomenalâ
âA deep connection to the music, Kholodenko plays with conviction and purpose, with a delicate and wistful side to his artistry that is utterly charming.â
âA musician of gigantic technical accomplishment and generous poetic giftsâ
âKholodenko discovers each new note and idea, with every moment full of surprise whilst fulfilling the complex logic of late Beethoven. Pianist and composer sounded as one, with the performance closer to an experience of absolute improvisation than one will ever find in the classical repertoire.â
âA powerful sound and fearsomely accurate fingers, bringing an unexpected touch of soulfulness to the musicâ
âVadym Kholodenko unleashes limitless virtuosityâ
âThe heir to the great pianists of the Soviet Schoolâ
Discography

The People United Will Never Be Defeated!
Quartz, 2022

Tchaikovsky: Piano Sonatas, Opp. 37 & 80
Harmonia Mundi, 2021

Prokofiev: Sonata No. 6 & Visions fugitives
Harmonia Mundi, 2020

Prokofiev Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 3 & 4
Harmonia Mundi, 2019

Scriabin Preludes, Studies & Sonatas Nos. 4 & 5
Harmonia Mundi, 2018

Prokofiev Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 5
Harmonia Mundi, 2016

Grieg & Saint-Saëns Piano Concertos op.16 / No.2 op.22
Harmonia Mundi, 2015

Rachmanoff and Medtner
Delos, 2014