“Today this young man demonstrated an extraordinary ‘tour de force’ of incredible subtle mastery. Stravinsky’s neo-classical style of a weaving toccata like texture was played with extraordinary weight whilst living with the abrasive caustic sounds that could soar above this seemingly impenetrable perpetuum mobile with piercing intensity.”
This major win included a substantial monetary prize, the Gold Medal, and a CD recording. In the final, he performed Prokofiev's Second Piano Concerto and the compulsory piece, Sanmen Gorge Capriccio by Liu Wenjin, accompanied on the Erhu.
: At just ten years old, he won First Prize and the Spectator Sympathies Prize, announcing his talent to millions of television viewers. Performance Style and Repertoire
: He performed Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the RCM Symphony Orchestra .
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Following his graduation, he continues his studies at the RCM, mentored by the renowned Professor Dmitri Alexeev. His exceptional talent is supported by multiple prestigious awards, including the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) Scholar and Musicians' Company Lambert Scholar. Competition Successes and Global Recognition
From 2015 to 2021, he studied at the prestigious , working with Professor Mikhail Khokhlov (piano) and Olga Martynova (harpsichord). This period was crucial to his artistic development, grounding him in the formidable Russian piano tradition that has produced giants such as Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, and Evgeny Kissin.
Doronin began playing young and, by 2015, entered the , where he was named "Best Student" in 2020. He trained under Professor Mikhail Khokhlov (piano) and Olga Martynova (harpsichord), while receiving support from the Vladimir Spivakov International Charity Foundation. In 2021, he moved to London to study at the Royal College of Music (RCM) as an ABRSM Scholar under Professor Dmitri Alexeev, graduating in 2025. Major Competition Successes and Performance Style
Let there be no doubt: Doronin excels in Rachmaninoff. His recording of the Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor (based on Goethe's Faust ) is a tour de force of stamina. Unlike pianists who treat the sonata as a thick, muddy texture, Doronin uses voicing techniques to isolate melodic lines in the left hand while the right hand executes chords. This is the "orchestral illusion." When asked how he manages the infamous cadenza of Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto, Doronin replied, "I don't fight the piano. I ask it to sing." : At just ten years old, he won
In London, Doronin refined his craft under the tutelage of the renowned Soviet-born pianist . Alexeev’s guidance helped merge Doronin’s powerful Russian foundational training with an intellectual, poetic nuance suited for international concert halls.
: International Piano Competition of Lyon (2024) and European Piano Competition (2024).
As the director of the Gnessin School and an Honored Artist of Russia, Khokhlov helped Doronin develop a powerful, distinct technique and structural command of heavy Romantic and 20th-century repertoires.
When Alexander died, the city’s newspapers printed a short note. But for those who had known him, the loss was a quieter thing—like a cessation of habitual music. The upright was left to the seamstress’s granddaughter, who promised to tune it and teach her child the waltz Alexander had written for her. Students met to play his little pieces in living rooms, each adding a small flourish the way flowers grow toward different windows. Best for sharing a video clip or a photo of a performance
To broaden his musical perspective, Doronin relocated to London in 2021 to attend the as an Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) Scholar.
Who else is a fan of his playing? Let me know your favorite piece in the comments! 👇
as an ABRSM Scholar, graduating with a First Class Bachelor of Music in 2025, and is currently pursuing a Master’s under Dmitri Alexeev. Major Awards and Achievements