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Alexei Sultanov – Second Prize, XIII Frederic Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw (1995). Alexei Sultanov was born into a family of professional musicians. His mother was a violinist, his father a cellist. He was a so-called 'wunderkind', whose massive talent became apparent early on. He played Mozart's Piano Concerto in D minor as an eight-year-old, and before long added to his repertoire several other piano concertos, by Beethoven (C minor), Chopin (F minor), Rachmaninov (C minor) and Tchaikovsky (B flat minor).

Alexei Sultanov completed the Republic Special Music School at the Tashkent Conservatory under Tamara Popovich (attended for ten years). Next, he moved to the High School of Music at the Moscow Conservatory, in Prof. Lev Naumov's class (four years). The same professor subsequently taught him throughout his years at the Conservatory proper (four more years).

At the age of 13, he participated in the 'Concertino Praha' International Radio Competition for Young Musicians in Prague (1982). Four years later, he participated in the Piotr Tchaikovsky International Music Competition in Moscow (1986), which he failed to complete due to traumatic neurosis. In 1989, he won First Prize in the Van Cliburn Competition in Fort Worth. In 1995, he experienced another great victory, taking Second Prize in the Chopin Competition (ex aequo with Philippe Giusiano – First Prize not awarded).

Sultanov began giving concerts while still a child. He appeared in many cities in Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia, and Ukraine (Kyiv). At the age of 16, he astounded listeners with his wonderful interpretations of Beethoven's Sonata in F minor ('Appassionata'), Scriabin's Sonata No. 5 in F sharp major and Chopin's Sonata in B minor. His international career as a virtuoso was assured by his victories in Fort Worth and Warsaw. He performed at New York's Carnegie Hall and Washington's Kennedy Center, as well as in Pittsburgh, Rochester, Detroit, Milwaukee, Atlanta, New Orleans, Amsterdam, Manchester, Warsaw and others. He embarked on his first tour of Japan in 1991.

The pianist made recordings for Teldec Classics of piano concertos by Tchaikovsky (B flat minor), Beethoven (C minor) and Rachmaninov (C minor), as well as solo works by Chopin, Beethoven and Rachmaninov. In Poland, the Chopin Society in Warsaw has released a CD of his interpretations of Beethoven's 'Appassionata' Sonata, Chopin's Ballade in F minor and Waltz in E flat major, Scriabin's Sonata No. 5 in F sharp major and Rachmaninov’s Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor.

The pianist stopped performing publicly towards the end of the 1990s, due to illness.

On 30 June 2005 Alexei Sultanov died in his sleep, probably from a heart attack, exhausted by a long-term illness.

Stanisław Dybowski