Artem Kuznetsov
piano
Artem Kuznetsov has solidified his status as one of the rising stars in the classical music world, excelling in and winning multiple prestigious international piano competitions. Kuznetsov’s recent achievements include first prizes at the Santa Cecilia International Competition in Porto, Portugal, the Blanca Uribe International Piano Competition in Ibagué, Colombia, and the Roma International Piano Competition in Rome, Italy. He has been actively performing across Europe, Asia, and North and South America.
In addition to his solo recitals, Kuznetsov has performed with internationally acclaimed orchestras including the Orquestra Filarmónica Portuguesa, Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo, Orquesta Internacional Virtuosos de Madrid, Orchestra Filarmonica Mihail Jora di Bacau, Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès, Royal Prince Consort Orchestra and Euregio Chamber Orchestra. His collaborations with prominent conductors such as Conrad Van Alphen, Simon Crawford-Phillips, Ovidiu Balan, Benedetto Montebello, Lawrence Golan, Osvaldo Ferreira and Sergey Smbatyan have further enriched his artistic journey.
Renowned music festivals worldwide have sought Kuznetsov’s talents. He has performed as a featured artist at esteemed events such as the Yokohama International Piano Concert Series in Japan, Festival Sant Pere de Rodes in Spain, Triumph Music Festival in Philadelphia, the VI Festival “V Storonu Vyborga” in Russia, the XXVIII International Rachmaninoff Music Festival in Russia, the International Rachmaninov Music Festival in Colombia and the Orcas Chamber Music Festival in the U.S. In 2024, he was selected as a fellow for the Gilmore Festival. That same year, he gave the international premiere of a composition by South American composer Angel Amparo in Ibagué, Colombia. Amparo praised his interpretation as her favorite rendition of the piece.
Kuznetsov has been featured on several prominent radio and TV stations in the U.S. and internationally, including Texas Public Radio in San Antonio, King FM in Seattle, TG4 News Italy, Medici TV and Euronews in Dubai. His biography was published in the book Gifted Children of Russia (2004).
His first album was released on the Orpheus Classical label and is available on all major streaming platforms. In 2023, he released a second album under the KNS Classical label. His third album, sponsored by CMSM Curso de Música Silva Monteiro, Portugal, was released in 2024 on KNS Classical, include the premiere of several miniatures by celebrated Portuguese composer Macedo Pinto. Additionally, an all-Rachmaninoff album is scheduled for release in 2025, also on KNS Classical.
Kuznetsov is also deeply committed to musical outreach and education. Partnering with organizations across the U.S., he has been involved in initiatives supporting underserved communities and young musicians. His efforts have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities, including the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Direct Relief COVID-19 Response. He co-founded and currently serves as the artistic director of the Rêverie Project Austin, a mission-driven initiative dedicated to making classical music more approachable and inclusive while fostering connections between diverse communities and the arts. The project has received significant recognition, including the City of Austin’s Nexus Grant.
For his contributions to the arts, Kuznetsov was honored by Texas State Senator Brandon Creighton and appointed Emissary of the Muses for the city of San Antonio, Texas, by Mayor Ron Nirenberg.
Kuznetsov’s musical journey began in humble circumstances. Both his parents were music teachers in his home village of Novopokrovskoye, Russia. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, his family turned to agriculture to survive. Kuznetsov spent his early years raising livestock, enduring bee stings, and cultivating land while practicing piano whenever he could. At the age of 14, a transformative visit to the Museum-Estate of Sergei Rachmaninoff in Ivanovka, just an hour from his home, deepened his passion for music. Playing Rachmaninoff’s piano and immersing himself in the cultural atmosphere profoundly shaped his musical identity. Rather than following the traditional Moscow music education route, Kuznetsov pursued his studies in the U.S. on a full scholarship, forging a unique artistic path that blends Russian and Western musical traditions.
When not performing, Kuznetsov resides in Texas, where he holds a teaching assistant position at the University of Texas while completing his doctorate in musical arts. He is on track to become a doctoral candidate by May 2025. His major teachers include his mother Anna Kuznetsova, who gave him his early training and discipline, Ludma Grimak and Alexander Rykel, followed by Stanislav Ioudenitch, International Center for Music at Park University, Missouri; and Jon Kimura Parker at Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Houston, Texas; and Anton Nel at Butler School of Music at UT Austin.