Evgeny Kissin Wins His First Grammy Award for His RCA Red Seal Recording of Russian Piano Music

NEW YORK, NY (SONY BMG MASTERWORKS) - Pianist Evgeny Kissin won the first Grammy of his recording career when the 48th Annual Grammy Awards were presented in Los Angeles on February 8, 2006, for his RCA Red Seal recording of Russian piano music by Scriabin, Medtner and Stravinsky.

Kissin had previously been nominated 10 times for the Grammy, beginning in 1991. His first win this year came for the all-Russian disc that BBC Music recently hailed for its richly varied virtuosity - "His Scriabin is a marvel of concentration, and he captures the unique soundworld, with an impeccable balance between fine detail and the bigger picture... In Medtner's Sonata- Reminiscenza... Kissin's pianism is once again immaculate... Stravinsky's Petrushka provides the ideal vehicle for Kissin's stunning virtuosity, and he unleashes some phenomenal piano playing."

Just released and winning new critical plaudits for the pianist is the RCA Red Seal live recording of Kissin's Schubert piano four hand recital with James Levine, captured live in spring 2005 at New York's Carnegie Hall.

On May 2, 2006, RCA Red Seal will release a new all-Chopin solo recording by Kissin that will feature the Fantaisie-Impromptu and a selection of Polonaises and Impromptus, as well as one of the composer's Scherzos. These pieces, along with the Russian works on the Grammy-winning CD have been featured on Kissin's most recent recital tour.

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