Happy Birthday, Yefim Bronfman!

Today is Soviet-born Israeli-American pianist Yefim Bronfman's birthday!

Born in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, in 1958 Bronfman immigrated to Israel with his family at the age of 15 before becoming a naturalized American citizen in 1989.

The internationally recognized as one of today's most acclaimed and admired pianists, Bronfman's mentors include Arie Vardi, Rudolf Firkušný, Leon Fleisher, and Rudolf Serkin from the Juilliard School, Marlboro School of Music, and the Curtis Institute of Music,

His international debut in 1975 was alongside Zubin Mehta and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. His Carnegie Hall debut followed in 1989, and he embarked on a series of recitals with Isaac Stern in 1991.

Notably, he won a Grammy Award in 1997 for his recording of Bartók's three piano concertos with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Bronfman's dedication to chamber music is evident through his numerous performances with various ensembles and instrumentalists. His extensive repertoire includes a comprehensive recording of Sergei Prokofiev's sonatas and concertos with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra for Sony Records.

Additionally, he made a memorable appearance in Disney's Fantasia 2000 in 1999, introducing the "Steadfast Tin Soldier" segment with his rendition of Dmitri Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major (1st movement) alongside the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Noteworthy performances include his rendition of Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 1 with the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich in March 2006. Bronfman has showcased his talents with various orchestras, including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto.

YEFIM BRONFMAN | RACHMANINOFF | PIANO CONCERTO NO. 3 IN D MINOR OP. 30 |