Event
Grand Piano Series presents Vitaly Starikov
Vitaly Starikov, piano
J.S. Bach — Italian Concerto, BWV 971
Shostakovich — Piano Sonata No. 2 in B Minor, Op. 61
Schumann — Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13
Inspired by the enduring genius of Johann Sebastian Bach, this program traces the luminous echoes of his ideas across three centuries of musical evolution. The journey begins with the poised, symmetrical architecture of the Italian Concerto, a Baroque work whose clarity and balance find new expression in the Romantic imagination of Robert Schumann and the modern voice of Dmitri Shostakovich. In works influenced by contrapuntal thinking and structural rigor, the program reflects Bach’s lasting imprint on the piano repertoire and the ever-changing language of the instrument.
This presentation is part of the Grand Piano Series. Grand Piano Series is an independent nonprofit organization.
Vitaly Starikov
Vitaly Starikov
Pianist Vitaly Starikov has found distinction with “raw, deeply felt, and powerful” (La Scena) performances, while having an unassuming onstage presence and a “willingness less to play at the audience than to draw [them] into musical intimacies” (Dallas Morning News). His bold approach won him silver at the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and the admiration of fans around the globe. Starikov’s perspective on music is manifested in his repertoire: He presents music that reflects not only tradition but also contemporary life, striving to offer new perspectives on familiar music and introduce lesser-known pieces to wider audiences. His Cliburn performance of Bartók’s Second Piano Concerto electrified the room, with a La Scena reviewer noting that “he understood this music, and gave an impactful, lively, and gripping interpretation on all levels: emotionally, architecturally, and in terms of his sound palette.”
Recital and chamber music appearances have taken him around the world, notably to Austria, Australia, Slovakia, Israel, Cyprus, Italy, France, Belgium and Malaysia, with highlights including Sydney Opera House, Queen Elisabeth Hall and the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. He has performed with the Antwerp and Belgian national orchestras, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Belarusian State Symphony Orchestra and St. Petersburg Symphony, and he has toured with the Orchestre national de Metz Grand Est. This inaugural Cliburn season takes him to the Bravo! Vail and Sunriver Music Festivals; Colorado Springs Philharmonic; and Pacific, Topeka and Springfield symphony orchestras as well as recitals throughout the United States.
Grand Piano Series
Grand Piano Series
Grand Piano Series is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), tax-exempt and financially self-supporting organization. Founded in 2016 by Milana Strezeva and Raniero Tazzi, Grand Piano Series is a nonprofit concert and education organization that seeks to enrich the cultural life of the Southwest Florida community with memorable concerts by international artists of the highest caliber, along with a dynamic program of community outreach for all ages, including programs for over 10,000 students each year in Collier and Lee counties.
For more information, visit grandpianoseries.org.
