|
The Russian pianist, Vladimir Viardo, traveled to Moscow at the age ot 14 to further his musical formation. Once in the capital, he was taken to the family of Lev Naumov (Custodian of the Heinrich Neuhaus methods that are credited with producing the extraordinary 20th-century Russian keyboard masters, Emil Gilels and Sviatoslav Richter), with whom he later studied at the Moscow Conservatory. During his 6 years of study he was tenured as a soloist by The Moscow Philharmonia, and after receiving his doctorate, went on to the position of assistant professor with Naumov at the Conservatory where he is associated to this day. In 1971 he was awarded the Grand Prix and the Prix du Prince Rainier in the Marguérite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition of Paris, and two years later (1973) was the top prize winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Subsequently Vladimir Viardo received contracts for some seventy recital and symphony orchestra appearances in major USA cities. Then, despite having already launched an impressive global career, his travel visa was mysteriously revoked, resulting in his virtual imprisonment behind the iron curtain for 14 years. During his confinement he developed new horizons in artistic achievement, and enlarged his repertoire, which eventually included thirty-seven concertos.
With the era of "Glasnost" and "Perestroika," Vladimir Viardo returned to public engagements in Germany and in the USA. He has performed at the Lincoln centre, the Kennedy Centre, Carnegie Hall, Concertgebouw, and the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. He was quickly offered a tour and recording contract with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. As Artist-In-Residence at the University of North Texas, he established the Viardo Fellows Foundation, which is committed to providing musical training of the highest artistic quality. His tours have taken him to leading North American and European cities, as Well as to Asia, South Africa, Israel, and to Central and South America, where he has appeared as soloist with such conductors as Zubin Mehta, Lorin Maazel, Penderecki, and Eduardo Mata.
Vladimir Viardo has made many recordings including J.S. Bach, Claude Debussy, César Franck, Alemdar Karamanov, Nikolai Medtner, Krzysztof Penderecki, Sergei Rachmaninov. His recordings have included the works of Nicolai Medtner, Lutoslawski with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, and a Sony release honoring Penderecki's 60th birthday. His first Pro Piano Records release of Bach-Liszt and Franck-Viardo Organ Piano Transcriptions received critical acclaim internationally and continues its worldwide popularity. |
