Lev Natochenny is a Russian-American classical pianist and professor of piano.
Education
Born in Moscow, Natochenny graduated from the Moscow "Tchaikovsky" Conservatoire, where he was taught by Lev Oborin. He also studied with Boris Zemliansky and Eliso Virsaladze as well as with Alexei Lubimov (chamber music) and worked in the violin class with David Oistrakh.
Career
In 1978, because of his discontent with the Soviet government"s control of the music scene, Natochenny applied for and was granted the permission to leave the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics, which he did in 1978. In the West Natochenny had further study with Ania Dorfmann at the Juilliard School. He held teaching positions at the Manhattan School of Music, the Mannes College of Music (The New School) and the City University of New New York
He now holds a Lifetime Distinguished Professor Chair at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Among his students are ECHO Music Award winners Martin Stadtfeld, Dirk Mommertz/Fauré Quartet, as well as winners of major international competitions Nami Ejiri, Soyeon Lee, Christopher Park, Evgenia Rubinova, Eugene Choi. His discography includes a Juno-nominated album of Schubert’s Schwannengesang with Canadian baritone Kevin McMillan.
Other noted recordings are selections from Brahms, Schubert, Shostakovich and Schnittke. Natochenny is an American citizen and lives in New York and in Frankfurt am Main.