The Legend Kiril Gerstein and Maestro Nayden Todorov

The world-renowned pianist Kiril Gerstein with an exclusive concert in Bulgaria this July

On July 16, Sofia will host a concert that has all the prerequisites to become one of the musical events of the summer.
At the "Bulgaria" hall at 19:00, the world-renowned pianist Kiril Gerstein will meet the Sofia Philharmonic under the baton of Nayden Todorov in a program that brings together two works of exceptional charge – Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto and Veselin Stoyanov's First Symphony.

Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto is among the most desired and most difficult works in the entire piano repertoire. Dubbed the "Everest for pianists," it tests not only the virtuosity but also the artistic courage of every performer. Kiril Gerstein is associated with such challenges – a musician of global stature who regularly performs with the most prestigious orchestras and conductors of our time.

The second part of the evening is dedicated to Veselin Stoyanov's First Symphony – a work that holds a special place in the history of Bulgarian music. Grand, emotional, and vividly orchestrated, the symphony sounds like a confident declaration of the place of Bulgarian culture in the European musical context.

Born in 1979 in Voronezh, Russia, Kiril Gerstein is among the brightest pianists of his generation. His unusual creative path begins simultaneously in the world of classical music and jazz. At just 14 years old, he becomes the youngest student in the history of the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studies jazz piano at the invitation of legendary vibraphonist Gary Burton. Later, he fully turns to classical music and completes his studies in Manhattan, after which he specializes with Dmitry Bashkirov in Madrid and Ferenc Rados in Budapest.
His international breakthrough comes with the First Prize at the prestigious Arthur Rubinstein Competition in 2001. This is followed by awards such as the Gilmore Artist Award and the Avery Fisher Career Grant, which establish him among the leading pianists on the world stage.

Gerstein performs with the most significant orchestras in the world, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Gewandhaus Orchestra - Leipzig, and leading symphony orchestras in the USA. He has worked with conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Paavo Järvi, Ivan Fischer, and Kirill Petrenko, who calls him "my favorite pianist."

His artistry is characterized by a rare combination of intellectual depth, technical freedom, and improvisational spontaneity – a legacy from his early jazz years.

Tickets for the exclusive event are on sale at the box office of the "Bulgaria" hall and on Eventim.