NICOLAS NAMORADZE
Piano
“An extraordinary artist.” – Emanuel Ax
“Never have I heard such a Liszt Sonata as I did from Nicolas Namoradze… The strength of the conception and the sheer level of artistry compel me to take my hat off to him.” – Zoltán Kocsis
Pianist and composer Nicolas Namoradze, whose performances have been hailed by critics as “sparkling… sensitive and coloristic” (New York Times) and “simply gorgeous” (Wall Street Journal), came to international attention upon winning the 2018 Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary, Canada— among the largest competition prizes in classical music. The Calgary Herald called him “unparalleled,” and “a pianist’s pianist,” stating: “Namoradze is not the conventional competition pianist, but his individuality was evident from the outset. While he certainly has the virtuosity to spare, he gained the top spot through his remarkable clarity of execution, refinement and variety of tone, and his uncanny ability to make even the most ordinary passagework sound meaningful and distinctive … The refinement of his playing was of international standard and everywhere his interpretative skills commanded attention and admiration.”
Highlights of the current season include a critically acclaimed, sold-out Carnegie debut recital at Zankel Hall, about which ConcertoNet wrote: “[Namoradze] is a pianist who proved that, once in a while, the distinguished members of the jury make a good choice and select a winner who plays like a true artist; who impresses not with pyrotechnics but rather with keen intelligence, a rich tonal palette and refinement … It was a most auspicious debut by an artist representing that rare breed, a thinking virtuoso.”
This season will also see the releases of select live performances from the 2018 Honens International Piano Competition on the Honens label and a program of Schumann and Namoradze on the Steinway label. Further upcoming activities include recitals at Wigmore Hall (London), Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, 92nd Street Y (New York), the Gardner Museum (Boston) and the Konzerthaus Berlin; a recording on the Hyperion label; and worldwide engagements with Klavier-Festival Ruhr, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Miami International Piano Festival, and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
Enthusiastic of innovative programs and technologies that expand the reach of classical music around the world, Nicolas has been closely associated with Juilliard Global Ventures, where he represented Juilliard students in the Julliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Program. He is also featured in the most-watched episode of Juilliard Open Studios with his teacher, Emanuel Ax, and appears as a guest educator on the history of the piano for Juilliard edX courses. Nicolas’ interest in contemporary music and lesser-known works of the piano repertoire has led him to present original and exciting programs embracing works such as Godowsky’s infamous Studies on Chopin Etudes, sets of Ligeti Etudes, rarities including Dvorak’s Piano Concerto and the solo piano music of York Bowen, and many works by his contemporaries.
After completing his undergraduate studies in Budapest, Vienna, and Florence, Nicolas moved to New York to obtain his master’s degree at The Juilliard School. He now pursues his doctorate at the CUNY Graduate Center, holding the Graduate Center Fellowship. His teachers have included Emanuel Ax, Yoheved Kaplinsky, Zoltán Kocsis, Matti Raekallio, and Elisso Virsaladze in piano, and John Corigliano in composition. Nicolas serves on the faculty of Queens College.
OFFICIAL BIO FOR THE 2019-2020 SEASON.
LAST UPDATED AUGUST 2019.
PLEASE DESTROY ALL PREVIOUSLY DATED MATERIALS.
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