Enrique Graf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Enrique Graf
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| Background information | |
| Born | July 18, 1953 Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Classical Pianist |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Labels | Centaur, Cougar Classics, Intersound, Carlton Classics |
Enrique Graf (born in 1953) is a talented pianist from Uruguay who also became an American citizen. He is known for his amazing classical piano performances around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Enrique Graf was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. He started playing the piano when he was just four years old. His first teacher was his own mother! Later, he studied at the Falleri-Balzo Conservatory, a special music school.
Enrique was very good at playing the piano. He won every national competition in Uruguay. Because of his talent, he received a full scholarship in 1973. This scholarship helped him study with a famous piano teacher named Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory in the United States.
Piano Competitions and Awards
Enrique Graf has won several important piano competitions. In 1978, he won First Prize in the William Kapell International Piano Competition. He also won the National Ensemble Piano Competition in 1977 and the East and West International Competition in New York in 1981. These wins showed everyone how skilled he was.
Performing Around the World
Enrique Graf is a very busy musician. He has performed piano concerts all over the world. He has played as a soloist with many orchestras, which means he plays the main piano part while the orchestra plays along. Some of these orchestras include the Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh Symphonies in the United States.
He has also performed with national orchestras in countries like Ukraine, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, and Colombia. He has played in famous places like Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center in New York City and Washington D.C. He has also performed at important music festivals in Italy, Brazil, and Mexico.
Playing with Other Musicians
Enrique Graf also enjoys playing music with other musicians. This is called chamber music. He has toured with groups like the Cuarteto Latinoamericano and the Ives Quartet. He has also played with wind ensembles and string quartets.
Famous Concertos Performed
A concerto is a piece of music where a solo instrument, like the piano, plays with an orchestra. Enrique Graf has performed many famous piano concertos. He has played works by well-known composers such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff. He also performed new concertos for the first time, like Florencia Di Concilio’s Piano Concerto and Edward Hart’s Tidal Concerto.
Recordings and Music Albums
Enrique Graf has recorded many albums. One of his albums, which featured music by the composer Poulenc, was chosen as a "pick of the week" by the Sunday London Times. It even received five stars in Classic CD magazine!
His first album, "Enrique Graf plays Bach," was highly praised. A music critic from the Washington Post said it ended the debate about whether Bach's music should be played on the piano. He has also recorded music by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Mussorgsky, Liszt, and Gershwin. His recent albums include live recordings and music with violinist Cecilia Penadés.
Teaching and Mentoring
Besides performing, Enrique Graf is also a dedicated teacher. He taught at the Peabody Preparatory for 14 years and became the head of the piano department. He received an award for his excellent teaching there.
He also created a great piano program at the University of Charleston. He was given the Distinguished Research Award and named the University Artist in Residence. He also taught at Carnegie Mellon University.
Inspiring Young Musicians
Many of Enrique Graf's students have won national and international competitions. He has also been a judge in competitions around the world. He gives special classes, called master classes, at famous music schools like Yale University, Oberlin, and Eastman Conservatories. He has also taught in China, Ukraine, and South Korea.
Music Festivals and Leadership
Enrique Graf is not just a performer and teacher; he also helps organize music events. He is the founder and artistic director of the Festival Internacional de Colonia in Uruguay. He also directed the International Piano Series in Charleston and the Young Artist Series in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. He even helped start Music Fest Perugia in Italy.
Other Achievements
Enrique Graf has received several special awards and grants for his musical work. These include a Fellowship from the Aspen Institute Executive Seminar and a Music Fellowship from the South Carolina Arts Commission. In 2000, he received the Immigrant Achievement Award from the American Immigration Law Foundation.
See also
In Spanish: Enrique Graf para niños
