Friedrich Lips is not only one of the most well-known and most renowned musicians of Russia, but he also received broad international recognition. The versatile creative activity of Friedrich Lips, People’s Artist of Russia and professor at the Gnesin Russian Music Academy essentially determines the recent development of the academic bayan.
F. Lips performed at the most famous concert halls of the world (Big Hall of the Tschaikovsky conservatory - Moscow, Santory Hall - Tokyo, Lincoln center - New York, J. F. Kennedy Center - Washington, Concertgebouw – Amsterdam, Barbican Hall in London) with many outstanding musicians, among them: G. Roshdestvensky, V. Spivakov, G. Kremer, Y. Bashmet, V. Gergiev, W. Yurovsky, Yo-Yo Ma. Lips’ art of interpretation is documented on a number of records (about 40) released in Russia, Japan, the USA, Austria and Sweden. Among the graduates of the class of Professor Lips there are about 60 winners of national and international competitions. Lips is an author of three books «The Art of Bayan Playing», «The Art of Arranging Classical Music for Accordion» and «It seems like yesterday», as well as a set of articles on the art of the bayan. The books and articles are published in Russia and abroad, translated to German, English and other languages. Lips is the initiator, author and publisher of several volumes of the concert repertoire for bayanists, including the unique «Anthology for Bayan» in 10 volumes. Lips was the first to perform more than 80 works for bayan, including concerts and sonatas of the most important contemporary composers such as S. Gubaidulina, E. Denissov, A. Kholminov, Vl. Solotaryov, K. Volkov, P. Londonov, S. Berinsky, E. Podgaiz, M. Bronner, T. Sergeyeva, A. Zhurbin, A. Tshajkovsky and many others. Lips is a member and the president of the jury of many Russian and international competitions. He has initiated and artistically directs the international festival «Bayan and Bayanists» that has been held in Moscow annually since 1989 and which unites the best Russian and foreign soloists. Since 1996 F.Lips has been the head of department for folk instruments at the Gnesin Russian Music Academy (since 2004 - the head of department for bayan and accordion).
In 1993 he was awarded the «Silver Disc» of the festival «Bayan and Bayanists». In 2001 he was named «Musician of the Year» by the newspaper «Musical Review». In 2005, the city of Emanzelinsk gave the name of its first graduate, Friedrich Lips, to the Children's Art School No.1. On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Moscow Autumn Festival, he was awarded the «Gold Medal of Moscow» in 2008, the Diploma «Golden Talent of Russia» by the Russian Performing Art Foundation in 2009.
In 2010, he was elected an honorary Professor at the London Academy of music (Great Britain). He is also a Laureate of the Moscow city award (2011).
In 2012, China Post issued a postage stamp with a portrait of the musician.
In 2015, the Russian performing arts Foundation awarded F.Lips with the international prize in music pedagogy named after M. M. Ippolitov – Ivanov.
In 2019 he was elected an honorary Professor at the North Caucasus State Institute of arts (Nalchik). He is a Visiting Professor at the conservatories of Tian Jin (China), Pula (Croatia) and Kragujevac (Serbia).
