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The American pianist, Blair McMillen, holds degrees from Oberlin College, Manhattan School of Music, and the Juilliard School.
Blair McMillen has established himself as one of the most versatile and sought-after pianists today. The New York Times has called his playing "lustrous," "riveting," and "brilliant.....prodigiously accomplished and exciting." Known for imaginative and daring programming, he plays a repertoire that spans from late-medieval keyboard manuscripts to the 21st-century's avant-garde and indie-classical.
Recent appearances include the American Symphony Orchestra, Bang on a Can's 25th anniversary marathon, Miller Theatre's "Piano Revolution," Albany Symphony/Dogs of Desire, the Moscow Conservatory, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, CalArts, Casals Hall (Tokyo), and Carnegie's Zankel Hall. Highlights from recent seasons include the Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1 at the Bard Music Festival, Walter Piston's Concertino in Carnegie Hall, nearly a dozen performances of John Cage's landmark Sonatas and Interludes, and numerous appearances with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Dedicated to new and groundbreaking projects, Blair McMillen is committed to performing the music of today. Known for adventurous and imaginative programming, he has premiered hundreds of solo and chamber works. He constantly works with both established and emerging composers in commissioning new works for the piano. He is the pianist for the Naumburg Award-winning Da Capo Chamber Players, the American Modern Ensemble, and the downtown New York City-based Avian Orchestra. Recently Blair McMillen co-founded (and currently co-directs) the Rite of Summer Music Festival on Governors Island, an outdoor "alt-classical" series that had its breakout season in Summer 2011.
A self-taught jazz pianist, Blair McMillen is regularly involved in improvisation projects ranging from the straight-ahead to the avant-garde. He resides in New York City and serves on the piano faculty at Bard College. |
