Heralded for his “extraordinary breadth and freedom of imagination” (Gramophone), praised as an “Exceptional talent” (The Scotsman), and named the “Rising Star” by the BBC Music Magazine, Nikita Lukinov stands out as one of the most exciting pianists based in Scotland. In his impressive international presence, he performed as a soloist in prestigious venues across the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, France, Poland, Croatia, Germany and Russia. Most notable appearances include renowned venues such as the Wigmore Hall, Usher Hall, Southbank Centre, Palau de la Música, Fazioli Hall, Verbier Festival and Tchaikovsky Conservatoire in Moscow. Additionally, both his live and studio performances have been broadcast by BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio 3 and Scala Radio.
In the 2024/25 season, Nikita tours Scotland with 35 recitals and outreach events throughout the country, spanning from the Scottish Borders to Cromarty and from Aberdeen to the Isle of Skye. This tour is in close collaboration with the Live Music Now Scotland, and Nikita will deliver outreach events in local care homes and schools in the area of his recitals. He says: “It is an unbelievable feeling when people’s eyes sparkle so joyfully and sincerely after the performances, and I know I contributed something valuable for them.”
In recent years his notable performances extended to Steinway Hall London, National Liberal Club in London, Hastings International Piano Series, Verbier Festival 2021 and 2022, Jorquera Pianos in Barcelona, Girona Town Hall, British Institute in Florence, Steinway Hall Berlin and Vaduz Rathaussaal in Liechtenstein.
In June 2023 Nikita was awarded The Governors Recital Prize for the most outstanding end-of-year performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, culminating in the completion of his Master’s Degree. The same month Nikita’s debut CD was released with the KNS Classical label.
A disciple of the Russian Piano School Nikita Lukinov started his musical education with Svetlana Semenkova, an alumna of Dmitry Bashkirov, at the age of six in Voronezh, Russia. Nikita’s first significant success was a Grand Prix at the 2010 International Shostakovich Piano Competition for Youth in Moscow. This led to a debut with a symphonic orchestra at the age of 11. Other achievements include 1st place in the Inter-Russian piano competition for young pianists, Finalist in an International television competition for young musicians “Nutcracker”, 1st place in the Inter-Russian Concerto competition, where he performed a Chopin piano Concerto 1 op.11 with the Voronezh Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 14.
In 2013 Nikita won a full scholarship to continue his education at The Purcell School, a specialist music school in London, with Prof. Tatiana Sarkissova, an alumna of Dmitry Bashkirov. In 2017 Nikita was awarded a full scholarship to study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with Prof. Petras Geniušas, an alumnus of V. Gornostaeva. In 2021 Nikita was awarded a First-Class with Honours Bachelor of Music Degree and a full scholarship from ABRSM to pursue a Master of Music degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Since October 2022 Nikita has also started teaching at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, being the youngest senior teaching staff in all of the UK’s Royal Schools of Music at that moment.
Nikita was awarded his Artist Diploma degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in September 2024.
Nikita has had masterclasses with maestri András Schiff, Kirill Gerstein, Dang Thai Son, Dmitry Bashkirov, Dmitry Alexeev, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Steven Osborne, Klaus Hellwig, Noriko Ogawa, Vladimir Viardo, Claudio Martinez Mehner and others.