Biography
Pianist Joseph Kalichstein belonged to the long-running Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio and ranked among the leading American chamber musicians of the twentieth century while also sustaining careers as a concerto soloist, recital performer, and teacher.
Born in Tel Aviv on January 15, 1946, during the period of British Mandatory Palestine, Kalichstein received his initial training from Joshua Shor after the founding of Israel. His talent attracted the notice of Claudio Arrau, who endorsed his application to the Juilliard School in New York, where he worked with Edward Steuermann and Ilona Kabos. His first major recognition arrived with victory in the Young Concert Artists competition in 1967. The next year he performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58, as soloist with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein in a nationally televised broadcast.
After completing a master’s degree at Juilliard in 1969, Kalichstein received the Leventritt Prize in 1970; the jury counted George Szell, William Steinberg, and Rudolf Serkin among its members. The award led to engagements with major American orchestras, including appearances with the New York Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra under Szell, followed later that year by a London Philharmonic Orchestra concert conducted by André Previn.
An international solo career ensued, featuring collaborations with leading ensembles led by conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, and Christoph von Dohnányi. His chamber-music partnership began in 1977 when he joined pianist Jaime Laredo and cellist Sharon Robinson for a performance at the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter. The three musicians discovered a strong ensemble rapport, continued performing together, and formally established the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio in 1981. Kalichstein joined the Juilliard faculty in 1983 and remained affiliated with the school until his death.
He continued solo appearances, recording Mendelssohn’s two piano concertos in 1987 with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under Laredo’s direction for Nimbus. Additional solo discs appeared on Vanguard, devoted to music of Prokofiev and Bartók, and on Koch International, presenting works by Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, and Brahms. He also participated in roughly twenty albums with the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, the final one issued in 2014. Kalichstein died in Maplewood, New Jersey, on March 31, 2022.
Born in Tel Aviv on January 15, 1946, during the period of British Mandatory Palestine, Kalichstein received his initial training from Joshua Shor after the founding of Israel. His talent attracted the notice of Claudio Arrau, who endorsed his application to the Juilliard School in New York, where he worked with Edward Steuermann and Ilona Kabos. His first major recognition arrived with victory in the Young Concert Artists competition in 1967. The next year he performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58, as soloist with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein in a nationally televised broadcast.
After completing a master’s degree at Juilliard in 1969, Kalichstein received the Leventritt Prize in 1970; the jury counted George Szell, William Steinberg, and Rudolf Serkin among its members. The award led to engagements with major American orchestras, including appearances with the New York Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra under Szell, followed later that year by a London Philharmonic Orchestra concert conducted by André Previn.
An international solo career ensued, featuring collaborations with leading ensembles led by conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, and Christoph von Dohnányi. His chamber-music partnership began in 1977 when he joined pianist Jaime Laredo and cellist Sharon Robinson for a performance at the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter. The three musicians discovered a strong ensemble rapport, continued performing together, and formally established the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio in 1981. Kalichstein joined the Juilliard faculty in 1983 and remained affiliated with the school until his death.
He continued solo appearances, recording Mendelssohn’s two piano concertos in 1987 with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under Laredo’s direction for Nimbus. Additional solo discs appeared on Vanguard, devoted to music of Prokofiev and Bartók, and on Koch International, presenting works by Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, and Brahms. He also participated in roughly twenty albums with the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, the final one issued in 2014. Kalichstein died in Maplewood, New Jersey, on March 31, 2022.
Albums