Nimrod David Pfeffer, Piano

Biography

Israeli pianist Nimrod David Pfeffer has been praised for his interpretations of Romantic repertoire, particularly of the music of Chopin, and, in his mid-twenties, is quickly gaining recognition as one of today's distinguished young classical pianists. He made his New York debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in May 2008, in a recital celebrating Israel’s 60th Independence Day, and in September 2009 he returned in a Concert in Honor of Peace.  He has appeared as soloist at the Russian Kremlin in a recital which was broadcast throughout Russia by "Kultura" television. Pfeffer has performed at Warsaw's Royal Lazienky Park, New York's Steinway Hall, Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, Austria's Graz Congress Hall, Chopin’s house in Zelazowa Wola, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and the Mozart Festival in Malta. He has performed for King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan and other world leaders as pianist and conductor in the World Economic Forum in Jordan in 2007. He made his debut at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in New York City in June 2010, in a performance of Beethoven's Triple Concerto with the ISO and guest soloists from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

Devoted to promoting contemporary music, Pfeffer has given the world premieres of many works which were written especially for him. He made his debut with the Israel Philharmonic Orchesta in December 2008, playing the World Premiere of Aharon Harlap's Second Piano Concerto. Pfeffer has also appeared as soloist with the Israeli Symphonic Orchestra Rishon-Leziyon, the Israeli Sinfonietta Orchestra Be’er-Sheva, the European Youth Chamber Orchestra of Styria, the Ra'anana Symphonette Orchestra and the Buchmann-Mehta Symphony Orchestra. He has collaborated with such conductors as Mendi Rodan, Evgeny Zirlin, Vag Papian, Rene Staar, and Omer Wellber and has been featured in radio and television broadcasts in Israel, Austria, Russia, Hong Kong, and the US. In August 2008 he was featured on the Young Artist Showcase of The New York Times classical radio station WQXR.

He has won many prizes including first prize in the International Columbia Chopin Competition (Columbia University, New York, December 2007), first prize in the Katcz Competition (Tel Aviv Academy of Music, January 2005), first prize in the Mozart Concerto Competition (Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, February 2002), second prize in the Tel-Aviv Chopin Competition (November 2001), second prize in the Concerto Competition, the Pnina Salzman Memorial Prize and the Commendable Performance Prize in Tel-Hai Piano Master-Classes (2004-2008). Since 2002, he has received full scholarships from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. He is also a recipient of scholarships from the Jerusalem Young Musicians Competition (2002), the "Zfunot Tarbut" Foundation (2007), and Bagby Foundation For the Musical Arts (2010).

Active as a composer, Pfeffer's works have been performed and broadcast throughout Israel. He is an enthusiastic chamber musician, and has recently performed three programs for violin and piano with Todd Phillips, recorded the Poulenc Sextet for Piano and Winds with the 84 Street Quintet, and on two occasions commissioned and premiered chamber works for recitals at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, in which he also performed works from the standard solo and Chamber repertoire. Pfeffer won the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music Chamber Music Competition in 2005 with Mendelssohn Trio in C minor.

Pfeffer has studied with Gideon Hatzor, Vadim Monastyrski, Pnina Salzman and Victor Rosenbaum and is currently enrolled in the Professional Studies program at the Mannes College of Music in New York City as a student of Richard Goode.

Upcoming engagements include performances of the music of Chopin on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in June 2011, in American Ballet Theater's production of Lady of the Camellias; participation at the Ravinia Festival June-July 2011; and a performance of Beethoven's 3rd Piano Concerto with the Mannes Orchestra in their 2011-2012 season.