Artist description An artist whose poetic gifts and captivating virtuosity have made him one of the mostimportant and versatile pianists performing before the public today, Christopher O'Riley enjoys a thrivingconcert career. His singularly broad repertoire ranges from music of the EnglishRenaissance and French Baroque periods to the new works of today's leading composers to such non-classical forms as the tango. He also plays many of his own arrangements and transcriptions. Mr. O'Riley is the host of a new nationally-aired weekly Public Radio show, From the Top, which showcases the nation's most exceptional pre-college age classical musicians.His performing schedule regularly takes him to major cities throughout American and has been highlighted by frequent engagements at both Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center. Internationally, he has appeared in cultural capitals worldwide from London, Paris and Vienna to Hong Kong and Melbourne, Australia.Recognition of his talent has been widespread. His honors include top prizes at the Van Cliburn, Leeds,Busoni and Montreal competitions, as well as an Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Andrew Wolf Memorial Chamber Music Prize. As an emerging young pianist, he enjoyed the sponsorship of Young Concert Artists, the Xerox/Affiliate Artists Program and the Pro Musicis Foundation.Mr. O'Riley's recordings also reflect the originality of his programming. Among his highly acclaimed solo releases is an all-Stravinsky disc on Elektra Nonesuch, featuring "Three Movements from Petrouchka" and Mr. O'Riley's own transcriptions of "Apollo" and "Histoire du Soldat." He is also heard on a recent RCA Victor Red Seal release of French repertoire for flute and piano with James Galway. His discography is further highlighted by a Busoni album (including the rarely-heard "Fantasia Contrappuntistica") a disc of Ravel's solo works, a recording of Beethoven Piano Sonatas, a collaboration with cellist Carter Breyentitled "Le Grand Tango" and the premiere recording of "The Short-Tempered Clavier" by the fabled composer P.D.Q. Bach.Even as he explores new stylistic territory, Mr. O'Riley remains in demand for his uniqueinterpretations of the standard piano literature. He is a favorite guest with the foremost orchestras in Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Kansas City, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and St. Louis, among others. He was also the featured soloist with the Ulster Orchestra on its first American tour in 1992. During the 1996-97 season he returned to the San Francisco Symphony, for concerts under Michael Tilson Thomas, as well as to many other American orchestras. The illustrious group of conductors with whom he has collaborated includes David Zinman, Leonard Slatkin, John Williams, Neeme Jarvi, Edo de Waart, Yoel Levi, Hugh Wolff and Andrew Litton.In addition to his regular touring, Mr. O'Riley is undertaking several new projects during 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons. He has established "Los Tangueros," a partnership with Argentine pianist Pablo Ziegler for performances of two-piano arrangements of Astor Piazzolla's classic tangos. In the spring of 1999 he began a collaboration with choreographer and director Martha Clarke to stage the stories of Anton Chekhov, set to the piano works of Alexander Scriabin (and presented in this recording!). This production will tour Europe and the United States, and is being presented by many leading performing arts centers and venues, including Jacob's Pillow, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Krannert Center (Champaign/Urbana) and the University Musical Society in Ann Arbor. Mr. O'Riley has also begun hosting a nationally distributed radio program for Public Radio International titled "From the Top," which showcases the vibrant performances and personalities of young musicians.An enthusiastic advocate of new music, Mr. O'Riley has twice participated in the annual"Absolut Concerto" concerts at Avery Fisher Hall, premiering works of Richard Danielpour and Michael Torke. Next season he is performing Michael Daugherty's "Le Tombeau de Liberace" with the Detroit Symphony and with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, both in St. Paul and on tour. He has also recently given premieres of works by Aaron Jay Kernis, including his piano quartet, "Still Movement with Hymn," (also recorded for Decca's Argo label) and the Superstar Etude No. 1, inspired by the pianism of Jerry Lee Lewis. Mr. O'Riley's other recordings include an Albany release of pieces by John Adams, Robert Helps, Todd Brief and Roger Sessions, and a disc of solo and chamber works by Danielpour for Koch International.Christopher O'Riley is the recipient of an Artist's Diploma from the New EnglandConservatory of Music, where he studied with Russell Sherman.He is represented by ICM Artists, New York, NY USA(212)556-5600

Music Style Piano, Classical

Instruments Piano

Albums SCRIABIN-Vers la flamme

Location Los Angeles, CA - USA

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