Leonid Chizhik Transcriptions

Biography of Leonid Chizhik

Leonid Chizhik is a jazz pianist of Soviet birth who has worked as a university lecturer in Germany since 1991. He gained popularity in Russia as a "grandmaster of the concert jazz piano," noted for a style that combines formidable technical speed with a lyrical and romantic touch. A pioneering figure, he was the first musician in the USSR to specialize in fully improvised solo jazz piano concerts. Educated at the prestigious Gnessin Institute in Moscow, he performed in Leonid Utyosov's orchestra before focusing on his own trios and solo work, which led to his official recognition as an Honored Artist of the RSFSR in 1990. His significant recordings include the 1980 album Reminiscences, and he has enjoyed a notable crossover career, collaborating with classical violinist Gidon Kremer.