User:Pianistra/Aglaia Koras

Aglaia Koras, Concert Pianist

Aglaia Koras, concert pianist, made her debut at age eleven with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Recognition by her mentor, Greek pianist Gina Bachauer, drew the attention of Rudolf Serkin, then Director of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Both Rudolf Serkin and Mieczyslaw Horszowski, (who collaborated with cellist Pablo Casals),taught Ms. Koras at Curtis on full scholarship for several years. Aglaia Koras received a Bachelors Degree in Piano from Curtis, having been awarded an Alumni award for three consecutive years.

In March, 1983, Aglaia Koras made her New York Debut at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center. This concert was sponsored by the New York Community Board Number One and the Queens Council on the Arts. Artist Isamu Noguchi and Geraldine Ferraro served on the panel of distinguished artists and celebrated personalities who helped create the "Adopt-An-Artist" Debut Award given to Ms. Koras.

A frequent performer at Carnegie Hall, Ms. Koras' performances have been heard in France, England, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, Mexico, Brazil, and Canada, as well as in concerts throughout the United States, including the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.

Aglaia Koras has received numerous international prizes: the International Chopin Competition, first prize; the International American Music Scholarship Competition, first prize; the Young Musicians Foundation Competition, first prize; the "Adopt-An-Artist" Debut Award of New York City; the Ruth Slenczynska Award for Piano, and a La Gesse Foundation Fellowship in France, to name just a few.

Ms. Koras' musical lineage can be traced to Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Liszt and Cortot. Horszowski studied with Leschetitzky, a pupil of Carl Czerny; Czerny was a student of Beethoven. Bachauer studied with Rachmaninoff and Cortot. Horszowski's mother studied with Mikuli, a famous student of Chopin.

Historic performances by Aglaia Koras include the Mozart 250th Birthday Concert at Carnegie Hall, the Chopin 200th Birthday Concerts at Carnegie Hall, and her Beethoven and Chopin Plus Recital Series at Carnegie Hall which included world premiere performance. 07:22, 17 July 2010 (UTC)