Nikolai Lugansky studied with the late, great Russian pianist Tatiana Nikolayeva, winning a silver medal in the 1988 Leipzig International Bach Competition and second prize in the 1990 Moscow Rachmaninov Competition. After taking the top prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1994, Lugansky's international career was launched with a string of celebrated concert appearances and recordings. Pianism of immense technical fluency and innate musical quality.