Yefim Bronfman, piano
Yefim Bronfman is widely regarded as one of the most talented virtuoso pianists performing today. His commanding technique and exceptional lyrical gifts have won him consistent critical acclaim and enthusiastic audiences worldwide, whether for his solo recitals, his prestigious orchestral engagements or his rapidly growing catalogue of recordings.

Highlights of Mr. Bronfman's recent seasons include a duo recital tour of the United States with pianist Emanuel Ax; a performance with the Kirov Orchestra and Valery Gergiev at Carnegie Hall; as well as concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic and Valery Gergiev in Japan and with Sir Charles Mackerras in Salzburg and Amsterdam. As a special project he is recording Beethoven's 3rd and 4th piano concertos as well as Beethoven's Triple Concerto together with violinist Gil Shaham, cellist Truls Mork, and the Tönhalle Orchestra Zürich under David Zinman as the first in a series of the complete Beethoven concerti for the Arte Nova label.

In 1991, Mr. Bronfman was awarded the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, one of the highest honors given to American instrumentalists.

An exclusive Sony Classical recording artist, Mr. Bronfman has won widespread praise for his solo, chamber and orchestral recordings. He won a Grammy award in 1997 for his recording of the three Bartók Piano Concertos with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His discography also includes the complete Prokofiev Piano Sonatas; all five of the Prokofiev Piano Concertos, nominated for both Grammy and Gramophone awards; Rachmaninoff's Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 3; and recital albums including Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition and Stravinsky's Three Scenes from Petrouchka.

Coinciding with the release of the "Fantasia 2000" soundtrack, Mr. Bronfman was featured on his own Shostakovich album, performing the two Piano Concertos and the Piano Quintet. In 2002 Sony Classical released his two-piano recital (with Emanuel Ax) of works by Rachmaninoff.

A devoted chamber music performer, Mr. Bronfman has collaborated with the Emerson, Cleveland, Guarneri and Juilliard quartets, as well as the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He has also played chamber music with Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Lynn Harrell, Shlomo Mintz, Pinchas Zukerman and many other artists.

Yefim Bronfman immigrated to Israel with his family in 1973, and made his international debut two years later with Zubin Mehta and the Montreal Symphony. He made his New York Philharmonic debut in May l978, his Washington recital debut in March l98l at the Kennedy Center and his New York recital debut in January 1982 at the 92nd Street Y.

Mr. Bronfman was born in Tashkent, in the Soviet Union, on April 10, 1958. In Israel he studied with pianist Arie Vardi, head of the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. In the United States he studied at The Juilliard School, Marlboro and the Curtis Institute, and with Rudolf Firkusny, Leon Fleisher and Rudolf Serkin.

Yefim Bronfman became an American citizen in July 1989.