"I think the audience got a great pleasure
from the fine "rubato" in the second movement
of the Concerto No.2 by Chopin and the bright virtuosity
in "Allegro Vivace" as performed by the young
soloist Evgeni Mikhailov."
("The Observer", Sweden, 18.11.1996)
"Perfect in touch, heady by sounding,
faultless in piano technique Mikhailov always remains on
a service of music. The great event of Musikverein where
young pianist presented new caliber of interpretation."
("Kleine Zeitung", Austria, 13.03.1999)
>>
"The capital of Mikhailov is incontestable
musical talent, musicality, which fills with intensity each
instant, and it’s difficult to the audience to resist against
its charm."
("Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung", Germany,
16.01.2001)
>>
"Pianism of E.Mikhailov is absolutely
not typical for nowadays predominant sport-virtuoso style.
Musician differs from his colleagues – D.Matsuev, N.Lugansky
and some others who named now representatives of new age
of Russian piano art. Pianist amazes by his feeling, romantic
lyricism, together with deep spirit fire and special attitude
to originating image. He amazes also by unwillingness to
subjugate the audience but influences upon it hypnotic.
Softest touch, exact dramaturgic thinking, richest dynamics
are undoubted merits of the musician."
("East Express", Russia, 15-21.12.2000)>>
"Evgeni Mikhailov quickly established
himself as the front-runner. He began his round with the
unusual choice of Rachmaninoff’s etude. Although he was
only the third person to perform. As soon as he touched
the keyboard one noticed how unusually fine the quality
and refinement of his sound was. His chosen sonata was Beethoven
op.110, and with this work he showed that he ranked among
the competition’s finest musicians. He closed with Rachmaninoff
famous B-dur prelude. Although the outer sections were full
of virtuosity and bombast, it was the flexible, lyrical
middle section that impressed most of all. It was Mikhailov
who set himself apart from the rest with his performance
of the Beethoven Second for which he received a standing
ovation."
("Piano" magazine, England, July-August
2002)
>>
"As regards performance of E.Mikhailov,
sincerity and immediacy are inspiring in his play before
all of them. The Mikhailov’s playing of sonata N 2 and moments
musicaux by Rachmaninoff remembered by exact dramaturgic
thinking, figurative distinctness, passion and expression
of lyric".
("The Culture", Russia, 20-26.02.2003)
>>
''Mikhailov presented wide range of his virtuosity
without distortion of interpretation’s idea and showed
versatile achievement of his early musical maturity as performer.
It was accompanied by permanent control of his tools for
technique and expression with no obvious efforts but with
artist’s spontaneity. Pianist canned reproduces easy
but rich inner life of Schubert’s “Moments musicaux”
by excited manner; we heard also the filigree and fine quality
of Scherzo by Chopin; Mikhailov also canned reproduces anxious
life of Scriabin, Medtner and Prokofieff, in that way including
his pianistic level in the line of renowned Russian tradition''.
(''La Nacion'', Argentina, 31.08.2007)>>
US 2011 Concert tour, January 15 – March 20, 2011
“Herald Tribune”, January 26
- Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Sarasota, Florida: «the
impressive technique of Evgeni Mikhailov, soloist in the
Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1…his playing was liquid
and poetic».
“South Florida Classical Review”,
January 21 – Kravis Center, Palm Beach, Florida:
«Mikhailov found much to savor in the quiet lyrical
moments, but never held back in showing us the bravura that
is at the heart of the Concerto (Paderewski op.17 a-moll)…Opole
Philharmonic seemed to live and breathe the music with their
soloist. With the audience rising to their feet, Mikhailov
played Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King as
an encore. The arrangement was a real knuckle-breaker, but
the pianist managed to find all the energy and style to
make it an experience to remember».
“Washington Times”, February 13
- George Mason University's Center for the Arts, Fairfax,
Virginia: «Evgeni Mikhailov performed the concerto
(Chopin ¹1) expressively and well…he took a Romantic
yet fastidious approach to the concerto, which is essentially
what’s wanted».
“Classical Voice of North Caroline”,
January 10 - Wright Auditorium of North Caroline
University, Greenville, North Caroline: «Soloist and
orchestra gave a splendid account of the Chopin concerto…Mikhailov
played with both fire and delicacy, negotiating the dense
note clusters and the runs and arpeggios with equal ease…The
second romance movement simply floated off the stage, with
lovely and delicate strings behind a soloist playing with
great intensity and emotion. Some of Mikhailov's touches
sounded as if they were tiny raindrops falling on flower
petals».
“Telegram & Gazette Reviewer”,
February 18 - Mechanics Hall, Worcester, Massachusetts:
«Mikhailov’s mastery of the piece was evident
in his agility in technically demanding parts — the
perfectly even scale passages and clearly articulated arpeggios.
Far more compelling, however, was his musical artistry,
evident in the perfectly shaped phrases, the varied coloristic
palette, and the use of rubato, so beloved by Chopin...The
performance of the entire concerto was supple, elegant and
effortless».