When pianist Evgeny Kissin began touring during the mid-1980s, audiences immediately clamoured to hear the latest Russian wunderkind. But Kissin's adventurous spirit and timbral colour meant that his career was never going to be a flash in the pan—he has gone on to become a highly regarded interpreter of Romantic music, particularly Beethoven, Liszt and Chopin. Born in Moscow in 1971, Kissin was able to play by ear at two years old. He attended Moscow's Gnessin School of Music from the age of six, releasing his debut album—a live recording of Chopin's Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2—at 12. In 1990, Kissin made his first appearance at the BBC Proms, later becoming the first pianist to give a solo recital at the concert series (1997) and the first concerto soloist to appear in the opening concert (2000). Now based in Prague, Kissin holds both British and Israeli citizenships. He has received numerous accolades, including Russia's prestigious Shostakovich Award. Kissin's compositions include a string quartet, sonata for cello and piano and several pieces for solo piano—these sometimes feature as encores at the pianist's recitals. He has written an autobiography, Memoirs and Reflections (2018), as well as two books of short stories and other works.