Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Jean Bazilevsky was a renowned classical music artist who was born on May 15, 1924, in Paris, France. He was the son of Russian immigrants who had fled the Bolshevik Revolution. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist, so music was always a part of his life. Bazilevsky began playing the piano at the age of four and showed exceptional talent from an early age. Bazilevsky's family moved to the United States when he was six years old, and he continued his musical education there. He studied with some of the most prominent piano teachers of the time, including Isabelle Vengerova and Olga Samaroff. He also attended the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he studied with Rudolf Serkin. Bazilevsky made his debut as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of 16, playing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3. This performance was a huge success, and it launched his career as a concert pianist. He went on to perform with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. One of the highlights of Bazilevsky's career was his performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Leonard Bernstein. This performance was recorded and released on CD, and it is still considered one of the definitive recordings of this piece. Bazilevsky was also a prolific recording artist, and he recorded many of the great works of the piano repertoire. His recordings of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas and the complete Chopin nocturnes are particularly highly regarded. In addition to his performing career, Bazilevsky was also a respected teacher. He taught at the Juilliard School in New York City for many years, and he also gave masterclasses around the world. Many of his students went on to have successful careers as pianists themselves. Bazilevsky received many awards and honors throughout his career. He was awarded the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 1985, and he was also awarded the Avery Fisher Prize in 1986. This prize is considered one of the most prestigious awards in classical music, and it is given to outstanding instrumentalists. Bazilevsky continued to perform and teach well into his 80s, and he remained an active and influential figure in the world of classical music until his death in 2012 at the age of 88. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest pianists of his generation, and his recordings and performances continue to inspire and influence musicians today.

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