The career of pianist Alexandre Moutouzkine was international from an early age. He studied in Nizhny Novgorod, but by 16 traveled as far as Argentina in search of prizes. A big one came his way in the 11th Van Cliburn Competition in Texas in 2001, followed by others. He studied with Vladimir Krainev at the in Hannover and toured widely in Europe, Russia, and Latin America as a recitalist and in chamber music. Graduate education took Moutouzkine to the Manhattan School of Music in 2003, where his primary teacher was Solomon Mikowsky, who influenced Moutouzkine's first album, Piano Music of Cuba. He has arranged Stravinsky's Firebird Suite for solo piano and has performed the work as accompaniment to an animated film entitled Who Stole the Mona Lisa? ~ James Manheim