Vladimir Krainev

Vladimir Vsevolodovich Krainev (1944–2011) was a distinguished Russian pianist and pedagogue, recognized as a People's Artist of the USSR and a People's Artist of Ukraine. Born in Krasnoyarsk to a family of doctors, he spent his early childhood in Kharkiv before moving to Moscow to study at the Central Music School. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory, where he studied under the renowned Heinrich Neuhaus and his son Stanislav Neuhaus, becoming a prominent representative of the Russian piano school.

Krainev gained international recognition after winning the first prize at the IV International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1970, following successes at competitions in Leeds and Lisbon. As a soloist for the Moscow Philharmonic, he maintained an extensive concert schedule. His repertoire was vast, notably including the complete piano concertos of Mozart and Prokofiev. He was a champion of 20th-century music, particularly the works of Alfred Schnittke, who dedicated a Concerto for Piano and Strings to him, as well as works by Shostakovich, Shchedrin, and Eshpai.

A dedicated educator, Krainev taught at the Moscow Conservatory and, from 1992 until his death, served as a professor at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover in Germany. He was deeply committed to fostering young talent, establishing the Vladimir Krainev International Competition for Young Pianists in Kharkiv and a charitable foundation in Moscow. He was married to the celebrated figure skating coach Tatiana Tarasova. Krainev died in Hannover in 2011 and was buried in Moscow.

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