Also in the class was fellow pianist Ivo Pogorelić, with whom he formed a lasting friendship.

[5][6] In 1988, Pletnev was invited to perform at the superpower conference in Washington, D.C., where he met and befriended Mikhail Gorbachev.

He and the orchestra made their recording debut on Virgin Classics, releasing Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony and Marche Slave in 1991.

Pletnev's recording of Tchaikovsky's First Symphony (Winter Daydreams) received critical acclaim.

[8] In July 2010, Pletnev was arrested on suspicion of child molestation in Thailand, where he owns a home.