Claude Frank, piano

Having enjoyed one of the most distinguished careers of any pianist, Claude Frank has repeatedly appeared with the world’s foremost orchestras, at major festivals and at its most prestigious universities since his debut with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic in 1959. During recent seasons, Claude Frank has given joint recitals with his daughter, violinist Pamela Frank, throughout the United States and abroad. He also appeared with his late wife, pianist Lilian Kallir, at Town Hall in New York City, and has performed in recitals at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. In chamber music, Mr. Frank has appeared with such eminent groups as the Guarneri Quartet, Juilliard Quartet, Cleveland Quartet, Emerson Quartet, American Quartet, Mendelssohn Quartet, Tokyo String Quartet, and the London Mozart Players, as well as with Alexander Schneider’s chamber ensembles. Among the many festivals at which he has appeared are Menuhin’s Gstaad Festival in Switzerland, the Midsummer Mozart Festival in California, Portland, Norfolk, Vancouver and Marlboro. He is a frequent performer in New York City’s Mostly Mozart Festival. A milestone in Claude Frank’s career was RCA's release of his recordings of the 32 Beethoven sonatas and his worldwide performances of the cycle. Critical reception of this best-selling recording was unanimous nationwide. Time Magazine proclaimed it as one of the year’s “10 Best,” and High Fidelity and Stereo Review recommended it above other renditions. Mr. Frank has recorded the cycle of Beethoven Violin and Piano Sonatas with his daughter, Pamela, for Music Masters. A renowned teacher as well as performer, Claude Frank has been professor of piano at the Yale School of Music since 1973 and is on the faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Claude Frank lived in Nuremberg until the age of 12, when he joined his father in Brussels. Shortly thereafter he went to live in Paris, where he studied in the Paris Conservatoire. The German occupation forced Mr. Frank to leave France. While in Spain illegally, he was invited to perform at a party given by the Brazilian ambassador. There, he won his first "fee"–a visa to come to the United States granted by the American Consul, who attended the party.