Born in 1984 in Tashkent, Alibek Kabdurakhmanov graduated from the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan with a Bachelors in Percussion Instruments in 2006, a Masters in the same field in 2008, and a Masters in Opera and Symphonic Conducting in 2019.

Since 2007 he has been an accompanist of the percussion group of the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, becoming conductor of the orchestra in 2014, and its main conductor in 2018. 

As conductor, he has worked with the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, State Academic Symphony Orchestra Almaty, Musical theater orchestra - studio at the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan, Ensemble of contemporary music “Omnibus” Orchestra named “Kurmangazy”, and Youth symphony orchestra of Uzbekistan, among others.

He appeared in many festivals including the International Contemporary Music Festival "Turbulence"; 33 International festival "Moscow Autumn" Sessions of the Youth Orchestra of the World (JMWO); International Festival “Musical Summer Evenings”; International Festival "Euro-Orchestra"; International festival “Drums of the World”; International "Easter Festival", and International festival "Ilkhom-XX".

He has won various awards, including Laureate of the Tasanno Prize in the Field of Culture (2005, 2007); Grand Prix at the Shabyt International Competition (2007); Special prize "for best performance with an orchestra" in the International Competition "EMCY Art for Music Prize" (2006); 2nd prize of the International Competition “EMCY Art for Music Prize” (2006).

A pianist of exceptional technique, emotional depth, and sophistication, Denis Kozhukhin has gained significant recognition through his powerful performances, establishing himself as one of the most accomplished musicians of his generation.

Highlights of the last two seasons include performances with the San Francisco Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Frankfurt’s hr-Sinfonieorchester, BBC Symphony, Orchestre National de Belgique, Danish National Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, and WDR Sinfonieorchester. He has worked with conductors such as Rafael Payare, Alain Altintoglu, Cristian Macelaru, Hannu Lintu, Dalia Stasevska, and Santtu-Matias Rouvali, among others.

Kozhukhin’s 2023/24 season includes returns to the Oslo Philharmonic, NHK Symphony, Washington’s National Symphony, and Orquestra Simfónica de Barcelona, alongside debuts with the Dallas Symphony, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, and Melbourne Symphony. Denis will also perform recitals and chamber music at the Pierre Boulez Saal, Elbphilharmonie, Wigmore Hall, Vienna’s Konzerthaus, and Zurich’s Tonhalle. Since winning the Queen Elizabeth Competition in 2010, Denis has performed with the London Symphony, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, and Staatskapelle Berlin. A sought-after recitalist and chamber musician, Kozhukhin regularly appears at prominent music festivals including Verbier, Gstaad, Grafenegg, Dresden, Intonations Festival, Tsinandali, Klavier Ruhr, Lanaudiere, and Jerusalem Music Festivals, as well as the BBC Proms.

As a Pentatone recording artist, his discography spans works by Haydn, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Ravel, and Gershwin.

A graduate of the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid under the guidance of Dmitri Bashkirov and Claudio Martinez-Mehner, Kozhukhin further honed his skills at the Piano Academy at Lake Como, where he received advice from notable pianists such as Fou Ts'ong, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Peter Frankl, Boris Berman, Charles Rosen, Andreas Staier, and Kirill Gerstein in Stuttgart.