Guest Artist Bio
Yefim Bronfman
Yefim Bronfman, widely regarded as one of the most talented virtuoso pianists performing today, is known for his commanding technique and exceptional lyrical gifts.
Recently he appeared as the featured guest with the Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle at their annual outdoor summer concert, televised live throughout Europe. Summer 2009 also included two appearances with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood. And as artiste etoile in residence at the Lucerne Festival he performed a wide range of repertoire in recital, in chamber settings and with London’s Philharmonia under Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Lucerne Academy Orchestra under Pierre Boulez and the Vienna Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta.
At this week’s concerts, Bronfman returns to the Oregon Symphony for the first time since January 1992. Other highlights of his 2009/10 season include performances with the Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Cleveland orchestras. Following concerts next January with the Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall, he will join them on tour in Europe. And he will appear in London again with the Philharmonia under Christoph von Dohnányi, playing both Brahms concertos for a live recording on the orchestra’s label.
Bronfman has won widespread praise for his solo, chamber and orchestral recordings. He won a Grammy award in 1997 for his recording, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Salonen, of the three Bartok Piano Concertos – including the Second Concerto that he performs at these concerts with the Oregon Symphony. His discography also includes the complete Prokofiev piano sonatas; all five of the Prokofiev piano concertos, nominated for both Grammy and Gramophone awards; and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 3. His most recent releases are Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 with Mariss Jansons and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks; a recital disc, Perspectives, to complement Bronfman’s designation as a Carnegie Hall Perspectives artist for the 2007/08 season; and recordings of all the Beethoven piano concertos as well as the Triple Concerto together with violinist Gil Shaham, cellist Truls Mork and the Tönhalle Orchestra Zürich under David Zinman for the Arte Nova/BMG label.
Bronfman was born in Tashkent, in the Soviet Union, on Apr. 10, 1958. His family immigrated to Israel in 1973, and two years later Bronfman made his international debut with Mehta and the Montreal Symphony.
In Israel 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 and the Curtis Institute, and with Rudolf Firkusny, Leon Fleisher and Rudolf Serkin. Bronfman became an American citizen in July 1989.
More information online: yefimbronfman.com