Pavel Gililov was born in the former Soviet Union. Having received piano tuition from an early age, he performed for the first time with an orchestra at the age of eight. His exceptional musical talent was discovered by Dimitri Kabalevsky, on whose recommendation he began his studies at the Conservatory in St Petersburg, where he graduated with distinction.

In 1972, whilst still a student, he won the Moscow National Piano Competition and was awarded a prize at the 1975 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. In 1978 he won the first prize at the International Viotti Competition in Vercelli, Italy and relocated to Germany.

His performances all over the world and numerous CD recordings received great acclaim from audiences and critics alike.

As a soloist he received invitations to the Salzburg Festival, Berliner Festspiele and Wiener Festwochen, the Edinburgh and Schelswig-Holstein Festivals, the International Music Festival of Buenos Aires, and many others. Besides his solo career he also devotes himself to chamber music, and since 1997 Gililov has been artistic director of the 'Sommer classics' international chamber music festival. He has a piano master class at the Hochschule fur Musik in Cologne and is Guest Professor at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. The pianist also holds several master classes throughout Europe and the Far East. Pavel Gililov is Chairman of the Jury and Artistic Director at the International Telekom Beethoven Competition, Bonn.