Igor Ardašev

Concert pianist

Igor Ardašev (1967) is a Czech pianist. A native of Brno and a student of Inessa Janíčková at the Janáček Academy of Music, he became a prize winner in the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (1986). This was followed by the laureateship of the Brussels Queen Elisabeth Competition, first prize in the Maria Callas Competition in Athens and the laureateship from the Marguerite Long – Jacques Thibaud international contest in Paris. Since 1996, he has been a soloist of the Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra with which he has appeared on its numerous international tours. His most memorable concert performances have included partnerships with the Norht German Radio Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra (London), the orchestra of Nizhni Novgorod (Russia), the Orchestre national des Pays de la Loire, Beethovenorchester Bonn and the Orquesta Sinfonica de Valencia. As a solo recital artist, he has toured in most countries of Europe. He has been a regular guest at major festivals in the Czech Republic (Prague Spring, Janáček May Fest, Moravian Autumn) and elsewhere in Europe (Schleswig-Holstein Festival, Musica Mundi Festival).

In the recording studio, Igor Ardašev has worked under an exclusive contract with Supraphon,for which he has so far produced fourteen CD titles. The mort impressive of these include, apart from solo recital albums (Tchaikovsky, Liszt, Beethoven, Dvořák, Janáček, Martinů etc.), a rare account of Janáček ouverture, „Jealousy“, performed in a piano duet with Rudolf Firkušný. Together with Renata Ardaševová, his current piano duo partner, he has recorded music by Antonín Dvořák (Slavonic Dances).