Biography

Mikhail Korzhev is a Russian-born pianist, with an extensive concert career throughout United States and Europe. He is equally active as a solo recitalist, a performer with various chamber groups as well as a soloist with orchestras. His performances received a high critical acclaim from American and European press…”The young Russian pianist… displayed a notable technical mastery which allowed for passionate moments of ardent lyricism as well as wonderful purity and fluency…” (Momento Sera, Rome). ”Korzhev belongs to that exclusive club of super musicians…he already performs like a keyboard legend…he is a major talent.” (Salt Lake Tribune). 



Korzhev won the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in 2005 and gave a recital in the Vienna’s Konzerthaus about which the Wiener Zeitung wrote: “Korzhev obviously has much affection for Krenek’s personal style, due to this the listener experiences the dramatic qualities of the work…”

Following the success of his Vienna debut Korzhev recorded a CD of Krenek’s piano music, released by Phoenix Edition/Naxos Records in the summer of 2008. It became an instant top seller and received enthusiastic reviews. Korzhev’s second CD, featuring compositions for piano solo as well as works for violin and piano (in collaboration with Alyssa Park) by a prominent English composer Gerard Schurmann, was released by Toccata Classics in February 2012. International Record Review wrote: “As for Korzhev, he projects strength, atmosphere and the ability to tangle even the knottiest passages…”. A  different recording project—a compilation of 40 classical standards for the online music library Megatrax.com—came out in June 2012.


Korzhev combines his performing career with teaching. He is currently on the faculties of the California State University, Fullerton and Chapman University, as well as at the USC Thornton School of Music. Since 2008, Korzhev has also been on faculty at the Beverly Hills International Music Festival. In the summer of 2009 he taught a summer course at the Bosendorfer Piano Academy in Vienna, Austria. 

Korzhev holds a doctorate in piano performance from the USC Thornton School of Music, where he studied with Daniel Pollack. His previous teachers include Alexander Satz and Vera Khoroshina at the Moscow Conservatory College.