Andrew Wright – piano

American pianist Andrew Wright is gaining recognition as a highly versatile and eloquent performer. Of a 2011 performance in Italy, a reviewer for the Messagero Veneto wrote: “The American knows how to capture the spirit of the composer with conviction by a fierce technique, a sound of great beauty and an intense interpretation that penetrates the complex psychological idiom of Chopin’s musical language.” In a review of one of his solo recitals, another prominent music critic wrote: “The program selected fascinated me with its extent, variety, and extreme difficulty…. he came forward with all the demands of virtuosity and achieved a great dramatic intensity that is uncommon to hear. We were in the presence of a magnificent pianist, as musician and performer!” Beginning with his orchestral debut with the State Orchestra in Michoacan, Mexico, he has performed with as soloist with orchestras in the United States, Mexico and the Netherlands and has performed in over a dozen radio and TV broadcasts. As a performer of contemporary music, he has given premieres of a piece for piano soloist and orchestra by Jason Moore and a quintet by John Ferritto, among others, and he performed in George Crumb’s 75th Birthday tour. In 2009, Andrew premiered a new composition by American composer Walter Mays. He was also the founder and director of a contemporary music group called the Zeitgeist Consort, which held highly experimental concerts and creative events. He has performed at some of the most prestigious festivals in North America, such as Banff, Music Academy of the West, the International Musical Arts Institute, Kent/Blossom, and the TCU-Van Cliburn Piano Festival, and the International Holland Music Sessions. His many prizes include most recently the first prize by unanimous vote of the jury at the 2011 San Daniele International Piano Meeting and earlier prizes include first prize in the Duquesne Piano Competition, the Konrad Wolff – Ilse Bing Chamber Music Competition, the Francine Wallingford Competition, the Mu Phi Epsilon Phi Pi Competition and prizes from the Crescendo Music Awards, Prix Dominique and also a nomination for the prestigious Classical Fellowship of the American Pianists Association. After completing undergraduate studies with honors studying with Julie Bees as a Wolff-Bing Scholar, in 2009 Andrew graduated with a Master of Music Degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he studied on an Artistic Merit Scholarship with Alfred Mouledous, Alessio Bax, and Joaquin Achucarro. Now he lives in Den Haag where he finished a second Master of Music degree studying with Naum Grubert at the Royal Conservatoire and is currently a PhD candidate at the Orpheus Institute of Belgium and Leiden University. He has been lucky to study with a succession of brilliant teachers, including those named above as well as Peter Amstutz, Mario Quiroz, Andrew Trechak and Jerome Lowenthal.

Andrew Wright treedt op in de Geelvinck Salon van 14 oktober 2012 met de cellist Jonathan Butler.