Bring in the New Year with Rhapsodies in Blue

Engaging audiences with his charismatic and moving performances, Aaron Kurz enjoys a burgeoning career. He has captivated audiences across three continents, in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall in New York to the Palace of Peace and Harmony in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Mr. Kurz’s performances have been lauded, with Belgium’s Le Soir stating, “We’ll remember…the musical journeys of a nuanced Aaron Kurz.”

Mr. Kurz’s playing has also garnered acclaim in competitions, winning top prizes in the New York International Piano Competition, Los Angeles International Piano Competition, Virginia Waring International Piano Competition, and World Piano Teachers Association International Piano Competition, among others. An avid performer, he has played extensively in North America, Europe, and Asia. In recent years, his playing took him to China, where he had performing and speaking engagements at the Xi’an Conservatory along with an orchestral performance.

After watching classical music videos at the age of two, Kurz became interested in playing the piano. Soon after, he began his studies with Ethel Fang at the Suzuki Institute, and at age nine, he became a student of Dr. Carol Leone. A year later, Mr. Kurz attended the Mozart Festival in Vienna and attended the Bösendorfer International Piano Academy, held at the University of Music. Since then, he has participated in countless festivals, such as the Aspen Music Festival, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, PianoTexas, and the Gijón International Piano Festival. He is grateful for receiving additional instruction and guidance from many renowned pianists and pedagogues, including Stephen Hough, Paul Lewis, Yoheved Kaplinksy, Julian Martin, John O’Conor, and Earl Wild.

Mr. Kurz believes artists have an obligation to use their craft to improve the world, and he has worked significantly in this capacity. Alongside concertizing, Kurz spent two years working for the Van Cliburn Foundation’s “Cliburn in the Classroom,” a program which teaches classical music principles to children in underprivileged school districts. The goal of the program’s interactive seminars – to inspire a love of music in children and help educate the next generation of classical musicians – spoke to him. Through his playing, he hoped to connect with them and provide an experience they could enjoy and benefit from. He has also worked with the Lift Music Foundation, which provide mini-grants to help underserved musicians afford the costs of a musical education.

Read more about Aaron on his website.