On Sunday, October 28, we at Jacobs Music were honored to join the Curtis Institute of Music and Steinway & Sons at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in a special 90th BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO LEGENDARY PIANIST GRAFFMAN who came to Curtis as a student at the age of seven, later led the school from 1986-2006 and continues there as a much beloved and esteemed teacher to this day. In recognition of the grand occasion, Curtis alumnus and Cliburn winning pianist Haochen Zhang hang joined forces with conductor Giancarlo Guerrero and the Curtis Symphony Orchestra for a spectacular musical celebration.
Before the second half of the program began, Curtis President and CEO Roberto Diaz was joined on stage by Vivian Chiu, Steinway & Sons Director of Cultural Partnerships and Artist Relations; Steinway’s National Director of Higher Education Sally Coveleskie; and Jacobs Music Executive Vice President Gabrielle Kazze Rinaldi. Mr Diaz spoke of Gary Graffman and his contributions to Curtis; Ms. Rinaldi read tributes from some of Mr. Graffman’s present and former students, including the day’s soloist Haochen Zhang; Ms. Coveleskie read a letter from Steinway CEO Ron Losby; and Ms. Chiu presented Mr. Graffman with a beautiful, personally inscribed gold Steinway lyre, celebrating his 7 decades as a Steinway Artist.
It was a wonderful celebration befitting a wonderful man!
Photos: David DeBalko
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