Jonathan Biss
Jonathan Biss has appeared with the foremost orchestras of North America, Europe, Asia,
and Australia. Widely regarded not only for his artistry and poetic interpretations, but
also for his deep musical curiosity, Mr. Biss performs a diverse repertoire that ranges
from Mozart and Beethoven through the Romantics to Janáček and Schoenberg, as well as works
by contemporary composers such as György Kurtág and commissions from Leon Kirchner, Lewis
Spratlan, and Bernard Rands. Mr. Biss has recently embarked on a new project in which he
explores Robert Schumann's role in musical history, entitled Schumann: Under the
Influence. The initiative features Mr. Biss and several
collaborators around the world performing Schumann's works; music by his notable
influences, such as Beethoven, Schubert, and Purcell; and selections from his long list of
successors, ranging from Berg and Janáček to Timothy Andres.
Mr. Biss also has a busy recording career. His releases include an album of Schubert
sonatas and two short Kurtág pieces, named by NPR
as one of the best albums of 2009. His recent albums for EMI won a Diapason d'Or
award and an Edison Award. In January 2012, Onyx Classics released the first CD in a
nine-year, nine-disc recording cycle of Beethoven's complete sonatas. His recent CD of
Schumann and Dvořák piano quintets was made with the Elias String Quartet.
Mr. Biss studied at Indiana University and at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he was
appointed to the piano faculty in 2010. His bestselling e-book, Beethoven's
Shadow (published by Rosetta Books in 2011) was the first Kindle Single to be
written by a classical musician. He followed it with the e-book A Pianist Under the
Influence, a personal introduction to the music of Schumann. His blog-featuring
ruminations on music, reflections on his life as a musician, and interviews-can be found at
jonathanbiss.com.