Yuri Boukoff

Yuri Boukoff (Bulgarian: Юри Буков; May 1, 1923 – January 8, 2006) was a Bulgarian-French pianist. He was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France.In 1956, he was the first European pianist to make a tour to China. In 1964 he became a naturalized French citizen. He pursued studies with Yves Nat at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and won the first prize in 1946. He was taught by George Enescu, Edwin Fischer and Marguerite Long. Among his first prize awards in international piano competitions are Geneva in 1947, Long-Thibaud in 1949, Diemer in 1951, and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium in 1952. His nickname was "Rubinstein of Bulgaria"