He played with some of the world’s most prominent orchestras and was admired for his prowess in the Russian Repertory.

Alexander Toradze, described by many as the “idiosyncratic pianist,” has died.

Toradze, was born in Georgia and defected from the Soviet Union to the U.S. in 1983.

His manager says he was diagnosed with a heart condition last month  after falling ill during a a performance with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in Washington State.

Cause of death was heart failure.

Alexander Toradze was 69.