Alessio Bax

Alessio Bax is an Italian classical pianist. Bax was born in 1977 in Bari, Italy, and graduated from the Bari conservatory at the age of 14.[1][2] He won the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition in Japan at age 19 and the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition in 2000 after first participating in 1993. Bax was a member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's CMS Two for three seasons, beginning in 2009.[3] He also received the Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2009.[1][2][4] He studied at Southern Methodist University near Dallas, Texas, where he is currently a faculty member of the university's Meadows School of the Arts.[4] Bax is a Steinway Artist.[3]

Alessio Bax
Born30 November 1977 (1977-11-30) (age 42)
Bari, Italy
Genresclassical music
Occupation(s)pianist
Instrumentspiano
Years active1997–present
WebsiteAlessio Bax

Career highlights

Bax has appeared as the soloist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Houston Symphony, Orchestre National de Lille, Hungarian Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony, New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra and St. Petersburg Philharmonic.[5] Bax has collaborated with conductors such as Marin Alsop, Matthias Bamert, Alexander Dimitriev, Jonathan Nott, Vernon Handley, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Ken-ichiro Kobayashi, Dimitry Sitkovetsky, Yuri Temirkanov, and Sir Simon Rattle. As a chamber music performer, Bax has performed with musicians such as Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Steven Isserlis, Andrés Diaz and Nobuko Imai.[6]

Bax has given recitals at major venues in Rome, Milan, Madrid, Paris, London, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, New York, Washington, Mexico City and Hull.[7] Bax made his New York recital debut at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2010. Alessio Bax played the Fugue of Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata for Daniel Barenboim in the documentary Barenboim on Beethoven in 2005.[8]

In addition to his solo career, Bax also performs with his wife, Lucille Chung. They have shared stages at venues around the world and at festivals such as Bravissimo-Festival in Guatemala and Music@Menlo festival. Chung described playing duo with Bax: "It just needs to be at the right time, then we love to say yes, since we are a great team. There is total trust and…we think so much alike, we don’t even have to talk while rehearsing. We just know after a halt, where to come in again and how to communicate what we would like to happen. We think as a unit and that is advantageous for improving one’s security level within the repertoire. We feel free to take risks during performance and still are aware of the safety net, the complete support at the same time".[9] Bax is co-artistic director with Lucille Chung of the Joaquín Achúcarro Foundation in Dallas.[10]

Awards

In 2013 Bax received the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center, and the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award. In 2009, Bax received the Avery Fisher Career Grant,[11] and was the first prize winner of the 2000 Leeds International Pianoforte Competition. Bax also won the 1997 Hamamatsu International Piano Competition.[12]

Discography

Alessio Bax plays Mozart: Piano Concertos K. 491 & K. 595 (Signum Classics, 2013)

Alessio Bax plays Brahms (Signum Classics, 2012)

Rachmaninov: Preludes & Melodies (American Record Guide “Critics’ Choice 2011” - Signum Classics, June 2011)

  • Bax has referred to the Op. 23 Preludes “a collection of visions and landscapes." The album also includes Bax's own transcription of Rachmaninov's Vocalise. Bax described that "the harmonies are thick, but the melody is very simple: it’s a hard contrast to recreate on piano. Almost every finger on both hands is playing something. You have to split your hands to play multiple parts. It’s very challenging!"

Bach Transcribed (Signum Classics, 2009)

Baroque Reflections (Gramophone “Editor’s Choice” - Warner Classics, 2004)

Ligeti’s complete four-hand and two-piano works (Dynamic Records, 2003)

Carnival of the Animals with the Fort Worth Symphony (2005)

Personal life

Alessio Bax lives in New York City with his wife, Lucille Chung. In addition to being a pianist, Bax also writes about music and food on his blog, Have Piano, Will Travel and enjoys traveling.[9]

References
  1. Ward, David (25 September 2000). "Brahms and bravos Italian wins Leeds piano prize". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  2. "Husband and wife piano duo at the center". Bennington Banner. 5 August 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  3. "Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center".
  4. Cantrell, Scott (26 April 2009). "Alessio Bax wins $25,000 grant". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  5. "Warner Classics". Archived from the original on 4 November 2012.
  6. "Alessio Bax Biography - InstantEncore". www.instantencore.com. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  7. "Alessio Bax (Piano) - Short Biography". www.bach-cantatas.com. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  8. "Fine Beethoven from Alessio Bax - Classics Today". www.classicstoday.com. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  9. "Sequenza21/ » Pianists Lucille Chung and Alessio Bax: Sharing their lives at the piano". www.sequenza21.com. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  10. "The Joaquín Achúcarro Foundation". Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  11. "The Avery Fisher Career Grants". about.lincolncenter.org. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  12. "Biography". Barrett Artists. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
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