Leo Grigoryevich Sirota was a pianist born in 1885 in Kamenets-Podolsky, Podolia Governorate, Russian Empire. He began studying piano at age five and performed his first public recital in 1893. After graduating from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Sirota emigrated to Vienna in 1904, where he studied under Ferruccio Busoni. His career resumed after World War I with acclaim across Europe. In 1928, Sirota moved to Tokyo and joined the faculty at the Tokyo Music School. During World War II, he was evacuated to Karuizawa. Sirota emigrated to the United States after the war. His final performances in Japan occurred in 1963. Sirota died in 1965. Posthumous releases include the album A Chopin Recital (2003).
