Tuesday, March 28, 8:00 p.m.
Yefim Bronfman
Internationally recognized as one of today’s most acclaimed and admired pianists, Yefim Bronfman stands among a handful of artists regularly sought by festivals, orchestras, conductors and recital series. His commanding technique, power and exceptional lyrical gifts are consistently acknowledged by the press and audiences alike.
In the wake of world-wide cancellations beginning in spring 2020 his 2020–2021 season began in January 2021 with the Concertgebouworkest, followed by Bayerischer Rundfunk Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic and London’s Philharmonia in special programs recorded for streaming. Concerts in North America continued with Dallas, Philadelphia, New York, Atlanta, Houston and Pittsburgh orchestras despite restrictions imposed by COVID-19, followed by summer in Vail (Philadelphia Orchestra), Aspen, Tanglewood (Boston Symphony) and the Grand Tetons. As 2021–2022 artist-in-residence with the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, the season began on tour with the orchestra in Europe and will conclude with the world premiere of a concerto commissioned for him from Elena Firsova. The fall continues with the Enescu Festival, Bucharest and return visits to the New York and Los Angeles philharmonics and symphonies of Boston, Houston, St. Louis, San Francisco, Montreal, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Oregon, San Antonio, Cincinnati and Palm Beach. In recital he can be heard in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Chicago and Carnegie Hall, New York, in addition to Italy, Russia, Spain and Germany. With the Munich Philharmonic he will visit Vienna and Frankfurt; Luxembourg and Paris with the Concertgebouw; London with the Philharmonia and Israel with the Israel Philharmonic.
Born in Tashkent in the Soviet Union, Yefim Bronfman immigrated to Israel with his family in 1973, where he studied with pianist Arie Vardi, head of the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. In the United States, he studied at the Juilliard School, Marlboro School of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music, under Rudolf Firkusny, Leon Fleisher and Rudolf Serkin. A recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, one of the highest honors given to American instrumentalists, in 2010 he was further honored as the recipient of the Jean Gimbel Lane prize in piano performance from Northwestern University and in 2015 with an honorary doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music.