OLGA KERN SOLO CONCERT

The name Olga Kern is not unfamiliar to the music-loving audience of Pécs, as the artist has given several memorable concerts in the city. These performances have remained unforgettable not only for the delighted listeners but also for her, as she expressed her gratitude for the audience’s overflowing affection with multiple encores.

The Russian–American Olga Kern is one of the most outstanding pianists of her generation. Even at a young age, she captivated audiences and critics alike with her vibrant stage presence, passionate and confident musical expression, and exceptional technique - qualities that have only matured and refined over the years. Her international breakthrough came at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas, where she won the gold medal, becoming the first female pianist in more than thirty years to receive this honor. Her musical talent was evident early on: at just seventeen years old she won the Rachmaninov International Piano Competition, and since then she has achieved remarkable results at numerous prestigious international competitions. Her sensational success at the 2001 Cliburn Competition was the subject of the award-winning documentary Playing on the Edge, and she also appears in three other films about the competition.

Since 2016, young piano talents have been given the opportunity to showcase their abilities at the triennial piano competition bearing her name.

The 2026 Franz Liszt International Piano Competition and the Music Harvest Festival will both open with her solo recital. The audience in Pécs - like audiences around the world - primarily knows her as the soloist of the Rachmaninov piano concertos; however, on this evening she will meet the audience “face to face” in a solo recital, inviting them into a truly personal musical dialogue. Don’t miss this evening promising a fantastic musical experience!