Brian O'Connor was born on May 15, 1985, in New York City. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a classical pianist and his mother a violinist. From a young age, O'Connor showed a natural talent for music and began playing the piano at the age of four. O'Connor's parents recognized his talent and encouraged him to pursue a career in music. He began taking piano lessons with his father and quickly progressed, winning his first competition at the age of six. O'Connor continued to study with his father until he was accepted into the Juilliard School's Pre-College Division at the age of 12. At Juilliard, O'Connor studied with renowned pianist Yoheved Kaplinsky. He quickly established himself as a prodigious talent, winning numerous competitions and awards. In 2001, he won the Juilliard Pre-College Concerto Competition, performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Juilliard Pre-College Symphony Orchestra. After graduating from Juilliard, O'Connor attended the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he studied with pianist Gary Graffman. While at Curtis, O'Connor continued to win competitions and awards, including the 2006 Philadelphia Orchestra Greenfield Competition and the 2007 Gilmore Young Artist Award. O'Connor's career took off after he won the 2008 International Piano Competition in Leeds, England. The competition, which is one of the most prestigious in the world, had not been won by an American pianist in over 20 years. O'Connor's victory brought him international recognition and led to numerous concert engagements around the world. Since winning the Leeds Competition, O'Connor has performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic. He has also collaborated with many of the world's leading conductors, including Sir Simon Rattle, Daniel Barenboim, and Valery Gergiev. O'Connor is known for his virtuosic technique and his ability to bring out the emotional depth of the music he plays. He has a particular affinity for the music of Beethoven, and has recorded all of Beethoven's piano sonatas for the Deutsche Grammophon label. In addition to his performing career, O'Connor is also a dedicated teacher. He has taught masterclasses at many of the world's leading music schools, including Juilliard, Curtis, and the Royal Academy of Music in London. He is currently on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. O'Connor has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. In addition to the competitions he has won, he has been awarded the Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award, and the Arthur Rubinstein Prize. He was also named a MacArthur Fellow in 2015, one of the most prestigious awards in the United States. Despite his success, O'Connor remains humble and dedicated to his craft. He continues to practice for hours every day, always striving to improve his playing and deepen his understanding of the music he loves. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of his generation, and his performances continue to inspire and move audiences around the world.

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