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Piano Virtuoso Visiting OU This Week


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The Ohio University School of Music will welcome visiting guest artist pianist Orli Shaham for residency from April 16-18, including a concert on Thursday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Glidden Recital Hall. The show is free and open to the public.

"Orli is one of the most outstanding concert pianists in the world. She has performed in every major hall with all the great orchestras in the world," said Michael Carrera, associate professor of cello. "This is not just a one-time experience for our students, but also for the community as a whole. This is truly an exceptional musician and one that moves audiences with everything she does."

Shaham has established an impressive international reputation as one of today's most gifted pianists. Hailed by critics on four continents, she is in demand for her prodigious skills and admired for her interpretations of both standard and modern repertoire.

The Chicago Tribune recently referred to her as "a first-rate Mozartean," and London's Guardian said Shaham's playing was "perfection" during her performance of Bernstein’s Age of Anxiety at the Proms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Orli Shaham has performed with most major orchestras in the United States, as well as with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Stockholm Philharmonic and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, among others.

She is a frequent guest at numerous summer festivals including Tanglewood, Mostly Mozart, Aspen and Verbier, and has given recitals at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, and many more around the world.

Highlights of Orli Shaham’s 2014 international schedule include performances of Bernstein’s Age of Anxiety and Stumble to Grace, a piano concerto written for her by the acclaimed American composer Steven Mackey, on the same program with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Summer performances include the Aspen Music Festival and the Sun Valley Idaho Summer Symphony. In addition, Shaham is celebrating her sixth season as curator and performer in Pacific Symphony’s chamber music series in Costa Mesa, Calif., as well as her fourth season as artistic director of the interactive children’s concert series, Baby Got Bach.

In June 2013, Shaham released a CD of Hebrew melodies entitled Nigunim (Canary Classics), recorded with her brother, the violinist Gil Shaham. Featured on the recording is a new work by the Israeli-American composer Avner Dorman, commissioned by the Shahams and the 92nd Street Y in New York.

Shaham has two new recordings for 2014: American Grace, featuring the world premiere recording of Steve Mackey’s Stumble to Grace with the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by David Robertson; and the first in a series of solo discs focusing on the late piano music of Brahms, scheduled for later this year.

Orli Shaham’s highly acclaimed classical concert series for young children, Baby Got Bach, continues in New York City where it is presented by the 92nd Street Y, and also presents performances in St. Louis and Aspen.

Designed for preschoolers, Baby Got Bach provides hands-on activities with musical instruments, and concepts and concert performances that promote good listening skills.

Shaham maintains an active parallel career as a respected broadcaster, music writer and lecturer. She has taught music literature at Columbia University, and contributed articles to Piano Today, Symphony and Playbill magazines and NPR’s Deceptive Cadence blog.

On air, she has hosted the nationally-broadcast Dial-a-Musician and America’s Music Festivals series, and served as artist in residence on National Public Radio’s Performance Today.

In addition to her musical education at the Juilliard School, Orli Shaham holds a degree in history from Columbia University.

Ohio University students in the string and piano area will be able to take part in a Master Class with Orli Shaham on Friday, April 18 at 9:30 a.m. in the Glidden Recital Hall. In this class, students will be able to work in small groups as well as one-on-one with Shaham to hone their piano and chamber music skills and learn from her experience.

"Orli will be working directly with some of our most talented students," said Carrera. "This is an open class and the public and students alike are welcome to come. Her skills go beyond that of just piano as she will be coaching ensembles as well."