Evgeny Kissin never ceases to inspire audiences with his technical perfection and breathtaking virtuosity, combined with a thoughtful, sensitive musical approach. His sensational international career was launched when audiences and critics were thrilled by his legendary performance with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Herbert von Karajan for the 1988 New Year’s Eve concert. Over a quarter century has passed since then, and Kissin has fledged into one of the most outstanding artistic figures of our time. “The most fascinating aspect of his art is that he has managed to preserve his immediacy”, affirmed Wolfram Goertz in his laudatory speech on the occasion of the Ruhr Piano Festival Prize in 2020. For his 9th appearance at the Ruhr Piano Festival, Kissin has selected a wide-ranging programme from Bach to Rachmaninov. “My sole criterion for choosing repertoire is my love for the music! If I don’t love a piece, I can’t play it well. Fortunately, my range of preferences is vast”, Kissin once explained, and we are fortunate to take part in that relationship.