Martha Argerich

Biography Martha Argerich (Pianist) Martha Argerich is considered one of the greatest pianists of our time and is mentioned in the same breath as legendary names such as Benedetti Michelangeli, Horowitz, and Pollini. Her playing captivates audiences and critics worldwide with immense lyrical sensitivity, temperament, and enthralling brilliance. Albums by Martha Argerich Watch on STAGE+ Born in Argentina in 1941, Martha Argerich gave her first public concert at the age of five. In 1955, she moved with her family to Europe, where she studied with Friedrich Gulda, Nikita Magaloff, and Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli. At 16, she won the "Geneva International Music Competition" and the Busoni Competition. In 1964, she embarked on a tour through Western Europe and Poland, making her London debut in November of the same year. At 24, she won the Seventh International Chopin Competition in Warsaw and the Polish Radio Prize for her interpretation of Chopin Waltzes and Mazurkas. In 2005, Martha Argerich was honored with the highly endowed Japanese "Praemium Imperiale." Since the beginning of her career, she has regularly collaborated with conductor (and former spouse) Charles Dutoit. One result of this collaboration is the 1999 EMI Classics recording of Chopin's Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2. This recording was preceded in 1998 by the now Grammy-winning spectacular recording of Prokofiev's Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 and Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 3, which emerged from acclaimed concerts in Canada and New York with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit. Highlights of Martha Argerich's live concert recordings released by EMI Classics include the recording of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 25 from 1978 and 1992, respectively, from the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (praised with superlatives by the specialist press), as well as a document of a piano recital from Amsterdam (1978/79) featuring Schumann's "Fantasiestücke" and Ravel's "Sonatine" and "Gaspard de la nuit" (German Record Critics' Award 2001). In addition to the Chopin Piano Concertos, her previously unreleased legendary Chopin recordings from 1965 were also released in 1999. Among Martha Argerich's numerous chamber music recordings for EMI Classics, the recording of Beethoven's "Kreutzer" Sonata and Franck's A major Sonata with Itzhak Perlman stands out, which was awarded an "ECHO Klassik 2000." Martha Argerich is a frequent guest at renowned festivals in Europe and overseas, such as the Festival Pianistico Internazionale Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli in Brescia, the Verbier Festival (Switzerland), and the North American Saratoga Festival. The artist also promotes young international talent through her own festivals. In autumn 2001, the Second International Piano Competition "Martha Argerich" took place in La Plata/Buenos Aires, Argentina; in Beppu, Japan, the pianist founded her own "Martha Argerich Piano Festival." At the "Martha Argerich Festival Lugano" in Switzerland, Martha Argerich performs chamber music with good friends and young musicians, introducing young artists with world-class potential. Since 2002, EMI Classics has released live recordings of the concert highlights from Lugano every year. www.martha-argerich.de April 2011