Daniil Trifonov, piano on Sep 30, 2025 | UCSB Arts & Lectures

Program 
Handel: Suite in G minor
Brahms: Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel 
Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze, op. 6 
Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann

“Trifonov’s recital was breathtaking… a unique amalgam of fastidious tenderness and seemingly unfettered wildness.” Financial Times

“He is, no other word, a phenomenon. Like Rachmaninov, he is both a dazzling pianist and a composer.” The Guardian (U.K.)

Daniil Trifonov returns to Santa Barbara with the electrifying presence that has made him one of the most captivating pianists of his generation. Hailed by The New York Times as “a virtuoso with a demonstrably prizewinning technique,” Trifonov combines staggering technical command with poetic sensitivity. His performances feel both intimate and epic, going from whisper-soft at one moment to thunderously powerful the next. In this program, he takes audiences on a sweeping journey through two masterful sets of variations by Brahms, works that highlight his gift for shaping sound into story and revealing the emotional depths behind the notes.