On This Day

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Rachel Cheung Music Academy
Growing a Musical Community (Born on September 27, 1991)
Hong Kong-born pianist Rachel Cheung made her triumphant international debut at age 11 at the Vladimir Horowitz Competition in Ukraine. Additional awards followed at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (2002), the Gina Bachauer International Junior Piano Competition (2004), and a
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George Gershwin on a Roll (Born on September 26, 1898)
The Piano-Roll Pioneer
Early in his career, under both his own name and pseudonyms, George Gershwin recorded roughly one hundred forty player piano rolls. Most of these recordings were popular music of the day, and they were a main source of his income.
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Glenn Gould (Born on September 25, 1932)
From Concert Hall to Microphone
On 10 April 1964, pianist Glenn Gould took the stage at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. His programme included Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 30, selections from Bach’s The Art of Fugue, and Hindemith’s Piano Sonata No. 3. There
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Javier Perianes (Born on September 24, 1978)
When Silence Speaks
The Spanish pianist Javier Perianes was born on 24 September 1978 in Nerva. He graduated in piano studies from the Conservatorio Superior de Música in Seville and received additional guidance from Richard Goode, Alicia de Larrocha, and Daniel Barenboim. Winning
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Vincenzo Bellini (Died on September 23, 1835) & Gaetano Donizetti
The Paris Showdown
In the 1830s, Gaetano Donizetti was at the height of his powers. His operas had conquered stages across Italy, and the composer now set his sights on the ultimate prize: conquering Paris. Another Italian, Vincenzo Bellini, had moved to France
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Henryk Szeryng (Born on September 22, 1918)
A Musician’s Musician
For today’s quiz question, we turn to Żelazowa Wola in Poland. We all know that Frédéric Chopin was born there, but what famous violinist is also traditionally said to have been born in that village? The answer is Henryk Szeryng,
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Andrei Gavrilov (Born on September 21, 1955) and Sergei Prokofiev
Fierce and Fearless
Andrei Gavrilov, born on 21 September 1955 in Moscow, won the 1974 International Tchaikovsky Competition at the age of eighteen. A protégé of the extraordinary Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter, Gavrilov quickly established an international career. After his early EMI recordings,
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Jonathan Biss (Born on September 18, 1980) & Brett Dean
Gneixendorf Journey
American pianist, writer, and teacher Jonathan Biss comes from a family of professional musicians, including his grandmother Raya Garbousova, for whom Samuel Barber composed his Cello Concerto, and his parents, violinist Miriam Fried and violist/violinist Paul Biss. He studied with
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