showed extraordinary musical talent from a very early age. Playing violin and flute, he was a serious student of composition in his youth, composing more than 150 pieces that were featured at music school concerts. Although at that time a string student, he won first prize in the music schools piano competition. At 12, deeply impressed by Van Cliburns stunning performance at the First Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, he began to self-study Tchaikovskys First Piano Concerto ...