Two years on from winning the Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia, how important would you say competitions have been in building your career?

Winning competitions like the Sydney International Piano Competition has resulted in a lot of amazing concert opportunities and exciting engagements, including my debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, performances with the Mariinsky Orchestra and Valery Gergiev, and concerts with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, just to mention a few.

Andrey Gugnin, Australian Youth OrchestraAndrey Gugnin. Photo © Anna Shlykova

What have been the biggest career highlights for you following the Sydney competition?

What is very dear to me – a true highlight – is the continuing collaboration with a wonderful British violinist, Tasmin Little, with whom I played my chamber round during the Sydney International Piano Competition. After the Competition, Tasmin kindly invited me to partner with her for a few festivals in the UK, and I feel – I believe we both do – a very rare and special musical connection on stage, something I genuinely appreciate.

I understand you’re recording for Hyperion this year – what can you tell us about that?

Indeed, at the beginning of September I will be...