He then attended the Music Academy of the West in Montecito and the Juilliard School in New York, where he studied under Jerome Lowenthal.
[2] Upon hearing Primakov's performance of “La Valse” at the competition, Van Cliburn himself said “Prodigious technique, really wonderful,” with a “look of sheer rapture on his face.”[3] Primakov then won both the silver medal and Audience Prize at the 2002 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition.
[4] In 2007, he was honored by the Classical Recording Foundation with their Young Artist of the Year Award.
In 2011, along with his duo partner Natalia Lavrova, Primakov launched a new Record Label LP Classics Home Their first release was Arensky's Suites for Two Pianos,[5] as well as first volume of Live Performances of his former teacher Soviet pianist Vera Gornostayeva.
Primakov's interpretations of the two Chopin piano concertos combine grace and fire in the service of unflagging intensity.