Denis Kozhukhin « Excited to Perform Alexey Shor’s Works » at InClassica 2025

Featuring some of the world’s most renowned classical maestros, like Belgian pianist Denis Kozhukhin, the historic InClassica International Music Festival is scheduled to present an astounding lineup of celebrated artists in April 2025 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to immerse audiences in two weeks of unforgettable music. Featuring 16 memorable concerts, two globally renowned philharmonic orchestras, 14 internationally acclaimed soloists, and five revered conductors, this year’s affair will take place from 6 April to 21 at the illustrious Dubai Opera, one of the city’s most iconic cultural destinations.

The 14th edition of the festival is particularly special, as it is dedicated to the esteemed contemporary composer Alexey Shor in celebration of his 55th birthday. The festival will honour his life and legacy, and Shor, a maestro whose works have been performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls in the world, including the Wiener Musikverein, Berlin Philharmonie, and Carnegie Hall, with many internationally acclaimed artists, such as Behzod Abduraimov, Salvatore Accardo and Steven Isserli, having played his music, will also return as the event’s Composer-in-Residence.

A notable performance this year, particularly for Belgium, is its very own virtuoso’s return to the iconic festival. Denis Kozhukhin, a gifted pianist who has established himself as one of the greatest artists of this era, will perform a solo recital for InClassica’s penultimate concert. Titled ‘Denis Kozhukhin – Resplendent Recital’, the grand affair will take place on Sunday, 20th April 2025, showcasing a vibrant programme with a central theme of childhood, featuring Sergei Prokofiev’s Music for Children, Op. 65, Alexey Shor’s Piano Sonata No. 2, Robert Schumann’s Kinderszenen, Op. 15 and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Children’s Album, Op. 39.

Ahead of his much-awaited return to InClassica, we spoke to Denis Kozhukhin about his expectations for his solo performance, the significance of a repertoire capturing the naïveté of youth and the impact of resident composer Alexey Shor on contemporary classical music.

Are you looking forward to participating in the InClassica International Music Festival’s 14th annual edition?

I am thrilled to be part of the InClassica Festival again. It is a major musical event that does something very important; it brings classical music to people through fantastic concerts performed by the world’s greatest musicians.

Based on your history with InClassica, what about the festival has drawn you to return to its lineup once more?

The last time I participated, I gave a concert/lecture where some audience members attended a classical music concert for the first time. Afterwards, several people expressed their enthusiasm and willingness to return to a concert hall again. I believe that if even one person feels inspired to return after such an event, it’s worth a lot and holds immense value, which just goes to show that InClassica is a true promoter of the beautiful world of music.

Since it debuted in the UAE in 2021, InClassica has played a crucial role in advancing classical music in Dubai and the wider GCC region. How important do you think this development has been for the realm of classical music?

I will always support InClassica in each and every way that I can as I firmly believe the festival and its organisers are doing something fundamental: uniting people of different cultures, religions and views through music and arts, which is especially important in today’s reality.

Dubai is the perfect host for the festival as it is a city that combines enormous respect for its historical roots with a completely futuristic perception of our civilisation. The Dubai Opera as a backdrop is also ideal as it is an important temple of culture where we have the privilege to share the beauty of music with the world. 

Your eclectic programme features a mix of works by Prokofiev, Shor, Schumann, and Tchaikovsky. What is the significance of this particular combination of composers, and how do you see the thematic connections between these pieces?

As a father, I perceive music for children or related to a child’s life differently than someone without kids. The pieces I play reflect the experiences, goals, and disappointments of a child’s day, or they were specifically composed for children to perform themselves. The eyes of a child see the world in a very pure, unpolluted way, so I think it is not a coincidence that so many great composers like Sergei Prokofiev and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky have explored this theme.

I’m particularly excited to perform Alexey Shor’s works as I’ve known him for several years and had the pleasure of performing his pieces on many occasions in the past. I really admire him and his work as he is an outstanding mathematician who is not only creative in that field but also in the world of music. If you think about it, in the past, there were great composers who had many other interests. Borodin was a chemist, Rimski-Korsakov was a marine, Charles Ives worked in the insurance world, etc. Talent finds many shapes and, in some cases, like Shor’s, simultaneously. His works appeal to musicians and the public as they are highly nostalgic and touching. I am happy and proud Pentatone will soon release his Second Piano Sonata with me at the piano. I wish him many new musical adventures and look forward to playing more of his works. 

What do you hope to convey to audiences through your performance?

Similar to my last performance at InClassica, I plan to speak about and explain the pieces I present. It changes quite a lot when the audience hears the real, authentic voice of the artist describing what he is about to perform, transforming the entire musical experience. It is essential to create connections between the performer and the audience, which is what I always try to achieve in a concert.

For more information about the 2025 InClassica International Music Festival, Composer-in-Residence Alexey Shor and Belgian pianist Denis Kozhukhin’s solo recital, visit the official website at inclassica.com.