12 Facts About Andrei Gavrilov

Andrei Gavrilov was born into a family of artists in Moscow.

Andrei Gavrilov's father was Vladimir Gavrilov, one of the eminent Russian painters during the middle of the 20th century, through whom Gavrilov has German ancestors.

Andrei Gavrilov's mother was the Armenian pianist Assanetta Eguiserian, who had studied with Heinrich Neuhaus and gave Gavrilov his first piano lessons at age 2.

Andrei Gavrilov completed his studies with another Neuhaus disciple, Lev Naumov, at the Moscow Conservatory.

Until 1979, Gavrilov performed in all the major music centers of the world performing up to 90 concerts a year, while continuing his studies at the university.

In December 1979, recordings were scheduled in Berlin with the Berlin Philharmonic for the 2nd concerto, but Andrei Gavrilov did not appear for the rehearsals.

Later, by his words, Andrei Gavrilov was put virtually under house arrest by the KGB.

Militia guarding Andrei Gavrilov once showed him an official paper signed by Andropov stating that a fatal accident would not be unwelcome.

Only through Mikhail Gorbachev's eventual intervention did this end in 1984, and Andrei Gavrilov received a "free passport", so that he could perform again in the West without having to obtain political asylum.

In 2012 Andrei Gavrilov held master classes for the first time, in Madrid and later in London.

Andrei Gavrilov made his first new recording for 20 years: a CD of Chopin Nocturnes, which was done specially to be included with each copy of the book.

Andrei Gavrilov played another concert conducting two romantic concertos from the piano in Bristol in May 2014.