Lisa Smirnova
"Lisa Smirnova was ebullient and communicative, clearly seeing beyond the technicality and even the artistry of the piece, tapping directly into the soul of the composer. Heavy with drama, her commanding style nearly overwhelmed the other musicians. Ironically, the orchestra was at its best when it was the most subtle, an almost inaudible underpinning to Smirnova’s improvisation." The Columbus Dispatch
Videos
“The Russian-born pianist Lisa Smirnova essayed Rachmaninoff’s rhapsody on a theme of Paganini giving proof of high-level artistic playing. She has a beautiful tone, round, resonant and never percussive. Her performance proves, once again, that the less the performer moves around, the more control you will have”. Joseph Gold, Piedmont Post Newspaper
"As if Emil Gilels and Sviatoslav Richter were resurrected, so appears the powerful piano performance of the Russian-Austrian pianist Lisa Smirnova... . unceasing arcs of suspense and a fully elastic balance between sound and energetics characterise the distinguished performance of this Moscow-born, exceptional pianist..." Herbert Schranz, Kleine Zeitung, Graz
"… a performance almost unique in its own more epic way, allowing it to stand with the many other fine accounts by Buchbinder, Barenboim, Brendel, Schnabel and scores of others." Classical.net, May 2017, Robert Cummings
"Lisa Smirnova is a shining light in pianist heaven: cleanest technique, variable touch, powerful as well as sensitive presentation, for all her brilliance nowhere a virtuoso tinkling, in contrast clear structure and articulate emphasis, even in the most rapid passages. And her modest being, full of endearing humanity, enthrals all the more." Karin Berg-Kotterba, Schwarzwälder Bote