Yakov Zak
Illustration — Yakov Zak in 1937 Yakov Izrailevich Zak (20 November 1913 – 28 June 1976) was a Soviet pianist and pedagogue. People's Artist of the USSR (1966).
Also recorded as Yakov Izrailevich Zak
Yakov Zak

Koncern Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny - Archiwum Ilustracji · Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe, Sygnatura: 1-M-612-15 · Public domain
- Full name
- Яков Израилевич Зак.
- Born
- 1913 · Odesa.
- Died
- 1976 · Moscow.
- Nationality
- Russian Empire · Soviet Union
- Occupation
- pianist · composer · music educator · university teacher · pedagogue
- Fields
- classical music
- Education
- Moscow Conservatory
- Honours
- People's Artist of the USSR · Order of the Red Banner of Labour · Medal For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945 · People's Artist of the RSFSR · Order of the Badge of Honour
- Languages
- Russian
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Illustration — Yakov Zak in 1937 Yakov Izrailevich Zak (20 November 1913 – 28 June 1976) was a Soviet pianist and pedagogue. People's Artist of the USSR (1966).
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wikidata · Q1369531 · wikipedia · Yakov Zak
In this article
Life
Life
Yakov Zak studied at Moscow Conservatory. Youri Egorov and Mikhail Meerovich are recorded as having studied under Yakov Zak. The recorded working language is Russian. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are classical music. Employment is recorded with Moscow Conservatory. Distinctions recorded are People's Artist of the USSR, Order of the Red Banner of Labour, Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" and People's Artist of the RSFSR.
Born in Odessa, Zak studied piano at the Odessa Conservatory with Maria Starkhova, took classes on special harmony with Mykola Vilinsky, and later studied with Heinrich Neuhaus in Moscow, graduating in 1935. Having made his debut in 1935, he rose to prominence when he won First Prize and the Mazurka Prize at the III International Chopin Piano Competition in 1937. From 1935, Zak taught at the Moscow Conservatory, becoming a professor in 1947 and being granted a chair in 1965. His pupils include Eliso Virsaladze, Alexandr Sklioutovski, Irina Zaritskaya, Nikolai Petrov, Evgeny Mogilevsky, Svetlana Navasardyan, Lyubov Timofeyeva, Valery Afanassiev, Ludmila Knezkova-Hussey, Vladimir Bakk, and Youri Egorov.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 3 entries
1913
Yakov Zak born at Odesa.
Undated
Yakov Zak is recorded as having received People's Artist of the USSR, Order of the Red Banner of Labour and Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945".
1976
Yakov Zak died at Moscow.
Places
Named by the record
Places
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Odesa.
Birth place
Moscow.
Death place
Citations
References
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reference work
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Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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