Murray Perahia
Murray David Perahia, born April 19, 1947, in the Bronx, New York City, is an American pianist and conductor widely regarded as one of the finest living pianists. His family, of Sephardi Jewish origin, came from Thessaloniki, Greece; his father emigrated to the United States in 1935, and Perahia’s first language was Ladino. He began piano at age four with a teacher he found overly restrictive, but his musical passion deepened at 15, leading to serious practice. At 17, he studied at Mannes College under Mieczysław Horszowski, also learning conducting and composition. Summers at the Marlboro Music School brought mentorship from Rudolf Serkin, Alexander Schneider, and Pablo Casals; he played piano duets with Serkin, who later made him an assistant at the Curtis Institute. In 1965, he won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, and in 1972 became the first North American to win the Leeds International Piano Competition.
Perahia worked with Benjamin Britten and Radu Lupu at the Aldeburgh Festival, co-directing it from 1981 to 1989. Vladimir Horowitz, an admirer, invited him to collaborate, profoundly influencing his pianism. From 1973 to 2010, he recorded exclusively for Sony Classical, beginning with Mozart’s 27 piano concertos and later Beethoven’s five concertos with Bernard Haitink. A 1990 hand injury became septic, and a 1992 bone abnormality forced years away from the keyboard; during recovery, he studied Bach, producing acclaimed recordings including the Goldberg Variations. Hand problems recurred in 2005, causing cancellations, but he returned to touring by 2008. He has recorded Chopin études and Schubert sonatas, and is editing a new Urtext edition of Beethoven’s sonatas. Perahia is Principal Guest Conductor of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. In 2009, he became president of the Jerusalem Music Center, and in 2016 signed with Deutsche Grammophon, releasing Bach’s French Suites. After a six-year health hiatus, he returned to performing at Wigmore Hall in April 2024. He has taught at Mannes, the International Piano Academy Lake Como, and gives masterclasses worldwide.
- field
- Pianist and conductor
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- First North American to win the Leeds International Piano Competition; leading interpreter of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Murray Perahia began studying the piano at the age of four, though his serious musical development did not take hold until he was fifteen, when his interest in music deepened for reasons he could not explain. He went on to study at Mannes College, where his teacher and mentor was Mieczysław Horszowski, and he also spent summers at the Marlboro Music School and Festival, learning from Rudolf Serkin, Alexander Schneider, and Pablo Casals. Perahia played piano duets with Serkin, who later made him his assistant at the Curtis Institute. In 1972, he became the first North American pianist to win the Leeds International Piano Competition. During the 1980s, he worked closely with Vladimir Horowitz, an admirer of his playing, and Perahia has described this collaboration as a defining influence on his pianism. His career was interrupted by a hand injury in the early 1990s, a bone abnormality that required several operations and years away from the keyboard; during this time he found solace in studying the music of J.S. Bach, leading to a series of award-winning recordings of Bach’s keyboard works. The hand problem recurred in 2005, causing further cancellations, but he returned to performing in 2006 and later. Perahia has recorded Chopin’s études and Schubert’s late piano sonatas, and is currently editing a new Urtext edition of Beethoven’s piano sonatas. He also serves as Principal Guest Conductor of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
Reader's Guide
His hand injuries in the 1990s and 2000s forced prolonged absences, but he used that time to deepen his study of Bach, resulting in celebrated recordings. Perahia’s approach to the piano was profoundly shaped by his close mentorship with Vladimir Horowitz in the 1980s, an experience he described as a defining influence on his pianism. Beyond solo performance, he has been deeply engaged in chamber music, regularly collaborating with the Guarneri and Budapest String Quartets. He also serves as Principal Guest Conductor of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, with which he records and performs. His career was launched by winning the Leeds International Piano Competition in 1972, the first North American to do so. He later served as co-artistic director of the Aldeburgh Festival. His recordings, made exclusively for Sony Classical from 1973 to 2010, include major cycles of Mozart’s 27 piano concertos and Beethoven’s five concertos. He has won three Grammy Awards and nine Gramophone Awards, including the publication’s only “Piano Award.” In addition to performing, he has taught at Mannes College, the International Piano Academy Lake Como, and holds annual summer courses for young Israeli pianists at the Jerusalem Music Centre, where he is president. His editorial work includes a new Urtext edition of Beethoven’s piano sonatas.
Did You Know?
- Perahia's first language was Judaeo-Spanish (Ladino).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which composers is Murray Perahia most associated with?
He is particularly celebrated for his interpretations of Bach, Handel, Scarlatti, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann, making the Baroque-to-Romantic keyboard repertoire his signature territory.
What major awards has Murray Perahia won?
Throughout his career he has received three Grammy Awards and nine Gramophone Awards, reflecting sustained critical and audience recognition.
Why is Murray Perahia considered important to classical music?
His combination of deep structural insight and lyrical warmth in the solo piano and harpsichord repertoire has set a benchmark that influences how audiences and fellow musicians approach the classical keyboard tradition.
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