Role

:

Conductor  

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Vocal

 

Wilma Jensen was a renowned classical music artist who was born on August 28, 1939, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the daughter of a music teacher and grew up in a family that was passionate about music. Her mother was a pianist, and her father was a violinist, and they both encouraged her to pursue music from a young age. Jensen began playing the piano at the age of four and showed exceptional talent from the start. She was a natural musician and quickly progressed to more advanced pieces. By the time she was a teenager, she was already performing in public and winning competitions. Jensen attended the University of Utah, where she studied with renowned pianist Paul Pollei. She graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1961 and went on to study at the Juilliard School in New York City. There, she studied with Rosina Lhevinne, one of the most respected piano teachers of the time. Jensen's career as a concert pianist began in earnest in the 1960s. She made her debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1963, playing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4. The performance was a huge success, and Jensen quickly became known for her virtuosic playing and musical sensitivity. Over the next few years, Jensen performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. She also gave recitals in major concert halls around the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, and the Berlin Philharmonic. One of Jensen's most memorable performances was her 1971 recital at the White House for President Richard Nixon and his guests. She played a program of works by Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin, and her performance was widely praised for its elegance and technical brilliance. Jensen was also a prolific recording artist, with over 20 albums to her name. Her recordings of the works of Chopin, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff are particularly highly regarded. She won several awards for her recordings, including a Grammy Award in 1974 for her recording of Chopin's Nocturnes. In addition to her performing and recording career, Jensen was also a respected teacher. She taught at the Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, and the University of Utah, among other institutions. Many of her students went on to have successful careers as pianists themselves. Jensen's career was not without its challenges, however. In 1976, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a debilitating neurological condition. Despite this, she continued to perform and record for many years, adapting her playing style to accommodate her physical limitations. Jensen retired from performing in 2002, but she continued to be active in the music world as a teacher and mentor. She was also a passionate advocate for the arts, serving on the boards of several music organizations and supporting young musicians through scholarships and other initiatives. Jensen's contributions to the world of classical music were recognized with numerous awards and honors. She was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President George W. Bush in 2002, and she was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2004. She also received honorary doctorates from several universities, including the University of Utah and the Manhattan School of Music. Wilma Jensen passed away on December 13, 2017, at the age of 78.

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