Alexey Sokolov
Alexey Sokolov is the 1st prize and Grand Prix Winner of the Yamaha Grand Prize International Piano Competition in Italy, Honorary Professor of Tianjin Conservatory, the bearer of a special diploma and UNICEF prize as the best teacher of UNICEF International Piano Competition, the winner of “Haihe Friendship” Tianjin City Award established by the city of Tianjin and “Award of Merit” of the Government of China for a major contribution to cultural achievements. Professor Alexey Sokolov graduated the oldest music University of Russia – St. Petersburg Conservatory.
Alexey Sokolov has been a professor of State Herzen Pedagogical University in St. Petersburg from 1997 till 1999 at the Department of Special Piano and later, in 1999, he was delegated by St. Petersburg Conservatory to China as an official representative of the conservatory. Since then prof. Sokolov teaches at Tianjin Conservatory. Over the years he has trained more than 40 international competition winners. Among them – 12 winners of the First Prizes on such major competitions as Vladimir Horowitz International Piano Competition (1995 and 2011), Ukraine; Edward Grieg Royal Competition (2007), Norway; the «Steinway» Prize International Piano Competition (2001), Beijing, China; the Asian Open International Piano Competition in Hong Kong. Prof. Sokolov published several research works and articles about piano solo performance – works devoted to L. von Beethoven and F. Schubert piano sonatas, teaching piano solo in a University as well as the training an accompanists.
Alexey Sokolov has an intensive teaching and performance activity all over the world. He performed a lot in 1993-2003 in major cities of Europe, Asia, all over Russia at such concert halls as Muzikverein L. von Beethoven hall (Vienna), Grand Philharmonic concert hall in St. Petersburg, Beijing Poly Theatre and “Forbidden city” concert halls. Since 2003 professor Sokolov stops intensive concert life as a concert pianist and focuses on pedagogical and educative activity: he is a constant jury member of great number of international piano competitions in Europe, Asia, Russia, a jury chairman and a honorary jury member of international competitions in Hong Kong and Indonesia, a jury co-chairman of the IBLA Grand Prize international competition in Italy, a member of F. Chopin international society as well as a jury member of Chopin International Piano competitions in Russia and China. Mr. Sokolov is one of the founders of the «Step to Mastery» International piano competition, St. Petersburg, Russia which is one of the most important youth competitions of Europe. He is a member of European piano teachers association as well.
Professor Sokolov offers master-classes in many cities of Europe every year. He takes part in music festivals in Italy, Portugal, Poland, Austria, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Singapore. He collaborates with such renowned piano masters as Gary Graffman, Jerome Lowenthal, Pascal Roge, Viktor Tretyakov, Mikhail Voskresensky, Marcello Abbado, Pawel Gililov, Alexander Korsantia, Norma Fisher, Sergey Babayan, Arie Vardi, John Perry, Boris Slutsky, Barry Snyder. Prof. Sokolov’s students study at the most prestigious Universities of the World – Curtis Institute of music, Juilliard school, New England Conservatory, Eastman University of music, Cleveland Institute of music, New York University, Manhattan school of music, as well as at conservatories of Munich, Hannover, Vienna, Leipzig, Warsaw, Moscow, St. Petersburg and many others.