[1] Pouishnoff, born into an aristocratic Russian family in either Kiev or Odessa, was drawn to the piano as a young child, and, having acquired some aptitude before the age of ten, gave two public concerts.

His parents, not wishing him to be exploited, discouraged this, but after his father's death (when Lev was 9), financial constraints led to his accepting concert engagements, and he rapidly gained a reputation.

At the age of 14 he joined the State Opera Company orchestra, but a chance meeting with Feodor Chaliapin persuaded him to pursue his piano studies.

[1] He studied at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory under Anna Yesipova (piano), with instruction from Rimsky-Korsakov, Liadov and Glazunov (composition) and Nikolai Tcherepnin (conducting).

[2] Pouishnoff remained in Russia through the Russian Revolution, suffering considerable want, and in 1919 had the opportunity to make a concert tour in Persia (Iran), the first eminent European pianist to do so.

During World War II he gave concerts to factory workers, miners and dockers, and made extensive tours among the forces in the Middle East.