Hanna Hurwitz was a renowned classical music artist who was born on May 15, 1926, in Vienna, Austria. She was born into a family of musicians, and her father was a well-known conductor and composer. From a young age, Hanna showed a keen interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of four. Hanna's family fled Austria in 1938 due to the rise of the Nazi regime, and they settled in the United States. Hanna continued her music education in the US and studied under renowned pianists such as Artur Schnabel and Rudolf Serkin. She also studied composition with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. Hanna's talent as a pianist was recognized early on, and she made her debut at the age of 16 with the Philadelphia Orchestra. She went on to perform with many other major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. One of Hanna's most notable performances was her debut at Carnegie Hall in 1951. She received critical acclaim for her performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4, and the New York Times praised her "brilliant technique and musical insight." Hanna was also a prolific recording artist, and she recorded many of the major works of the classical piano repertoire. Her recordings of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas and the complete Mozart piano concertos are considered to be some of the finest recordings of these works. In addition to her performing and recording career, Hanna was also a respected teacher. She taught at the Juilliard School in New York City and at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Many of her students went on to have successful careers as pianists. Hanna received many awards and honors throughout her career. She was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize in 1974, which is considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in classical music. She was also awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994, which is the highest honor given to artists by the US government. Hanna continued to perform and teach well into her later years. She passed away on December 31, 2006, at the age of 80. Her legacy as a pianist and teacher continues to inspire generations of musicians.

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