Representing the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe

Programme

Gershwin – Three Preludes
Hector Tosar – Danza Criolla
Chopin – Ballade No 1 in G minor
Beethoven – Sonata for Piano in F minor ‘Appassionata’

Peformer

Enrique Graf was born in Uruguay and is now an American citizen. After winning all national competitions in Uruguay, he went to the Peabody Conservatory to study with Leon Fleisher on a full scholarship from the Organization of American States.

First Prize winner in the William Kapell International Piano Competition, the National Ensemble Piano Competition, and the East and West International Competition, Graf has given recitals all over the world and has been soloist with the Baltimore, Indianapolis, New Jersey, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Florida, New York, West Virginia, Illinois Symphonies, the National Chamber Orchestra, the Moscow Philharmonic, and the orchestras of Ukraine, Czech Republic, Chile, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Peru and Colombia.

An all Poulenc CD with the Charleston Symphony was a pick of the month by the Sunday London Times. Other recordings of Bach Suites, Mozart Sonatas, Liszt Sonata, variations by Bach and Mendelssohn, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Edward Hart’s Tidal Concerto, and concertos by Beethoven, Grieg and Gershwin have received such praise as “ideal performances” (Fanfare). He gave the world premiere of Florencia Di Concilio’s and Edward Hart’s Piano Concertos and recorded for Naxos a concerto by Leonardo Balada.

Graf taught at the Peabody Preparatory and received the Directors Award for Outstanding Teaching. At the College of Charleston he was awarded the Distinguished Research Award and named University Artist in Residence. Graf was also Artist Lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University. He has given master classes at such renowned institutions as Yale University, Oberlin and Eastman Conservatories, the Shanghai Conservatory and the Hong Kong Performing Arts Academy. He has been on the jury and his students have won many national and international competitions.

The New York Times described one of his appearances as “a triumph, in all respects” and The Washington Post has called him on different occasions “memorable, elegant, masterful, and refined”.