Arcadi Volodos: Virtuoso Pianist

On Thursday, March 29th I had the distinct honor of seeing Arcadi Volodos in concert. While many know of his legendary status among the classical community already, he is still widely unknown. A 28-year old Russian born pianist, Volodos now resides in Spain. He does little other than practice and perform with his favorite instrument.

As a child of 9 years, I had the privilege of seeing Vladimir Horowitz perform in his notorious and last Philadelphia concert. Although I was too young to realize this, it was a tough night for Horowitz. He was accustomed to a 4pm performance time, rather than the 8pm time he performed. He was also adjusting to a new medication. I was relieved, before his passing, to see his performance in Moscow to witness his absolute brilliance. After the concert at the age of 9, however, I was incredibly star struck. Reminiscing makes me ask: can the best pianist in the world be better on his worst day than the rest? The answer is yes.

Arcadi Volodos was at the top of his game on the 29th. The 28 year old defies physics with his hands. While running through Prokofiev without a second thought, the Philadelphia Orchestra made a valiant effort to keep up with his sheer skill, touch and brilliance. He is currently, in my opinion, the best piano player on earth. We were also blessed with hearing an encore from Volodos: his variations on themes from Bizet's Carmen. Words can not describe the talent this man possesses. My jaw was on the floor the entire evening.

If you haven't heard Arcadi Volodos, be sure to pick up his releases on Sony. His major label debut, "VOLODOS", features some of his transcriptions of Horowitz, and features Rachmaninoff, Schubert, and the now-mandatory Flight of the Bumblebee of Rimsky-Korsakov. (Thank you, English Patient.) It is simply amazing.

For more of a live ambiance, his first New York performance from Carnegie Hall is available. If you are looking to fill the void Horowitz left of simply amazing virtuoso piano skills, along with the human touch so many current pianists lack, Arcadi Volodos will not disappoint.

The most fun part of seeing this concert was the fact I saw it with my father. It was the first virtuoso we had seen together since Horowitz. My father's jaw was on the floor for the entire evening as well.