Anthony di Bonaventura
Encyclopedia
Anthony di Bonaventura (born November 12, 1929) is the Professor of Music at Boston University
's College of Fine Arts.
Anthony di Bonaventura began piano studies at three years old and gave the first professional concert at four years old. Then he won a scholarship to New York's Music School Settlement at six. At thirteen, he appeared as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic
. At sixteen, he became the pupil of the celebrated Russian teacher Madame Isabella Vengerova and later entered the Curtis Institute of Music
, where he graduated with highest honors.
Enthusiastic acclaim by critics and audiences came early in his career. After his Washington debut, Paul Hume
of the Washington Post wrote: "He can stand with the great players of Mozart's keyboard music." His brilliant performances in an early European tour led to his selection by the great conductor Otto Klemperer
to perform the complete Beethoven Concerti at the London Beethoven Festival.
He has performed in 27 countries in recital and with such major orchestras as the Boston Symphony Orchestra
, New York Philharmonic
, Philadelphia Orchestra
, Chicago Symphony, Royal Philharmonic and Vienna Symphony. He has appeared in the Great Performances Series at Lincoln Center and the festivals of Ann Arbor, Saratoga, Bergen(Norway), Graz(Austria) and Almeida(England). During his second tour of Australia and New Zealand, he was the soloist for the concerts which opened the famed Sydney Opera House
.
Many distinguished composers of our time such as György Ligeti
, Luciano Berio
, Alberto Ginastera
, Milko Kelemen
and Vincent Persichetti
have written works especially for him. And he performed the world premieres of compositions include: Ligeti's Piano Concerto (1986), Ginastera's Piano Sonata No.2 (1992), Berio's Points on the Curve to Find (1975), Persichetti's Piano Concerto (1968).
In 1991, he performed the Netherlands premiere of Witold Lutosławski's Piano Concerto with the composer conducting, followed by performances also conducted by Lutoslawski with the Boston Symphony, Polish National Radio Symphony and San Francisco Symphony
in 1993, on the occasion of the composer's 80th birthday.
He has made a number of recordings. His recording of the Debussy Etudes has been described by the Boston Globe as "one of the wonders of the world". Other recordings include Scarlatti's 14 Keyboard Sonatas, Rachmaninoff's Complete Preludes, op.32 and so on.
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
's College of Fine Arts.
Anthony di Bonaventura began piano studies at three years old and gave the first professional concert at four years old. Then he won a scholarship to New York's Music School Settlement at six. At thirteen, he appeared as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
. At sixteen, he became the pupil of the celebrated Russian teacher Madame Isabella Vengerova and later entered the Curtis Institute of Music
Curtis Institute of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that offers courses of study leading to a performance Diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in Opera, and Professional Studies Certificate in Opera. According to statistics compiled by U.S...
, where he graduated with highest honors.
Enthusiastic acclaim by critics and audiences came early in his career. After his Washington debut, Paul Hume
Paul Hume
Paul Chandler Hume was the music editor for the Washington Post from 1946 to 1982.-Career:...
of the Washington Post wrote: "He can stand with the great players of Mozart's keyboard music." His brilliant performances in an early European tour led to his selection by the great conductor Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century.-Biography:Otto Klemperer was born in Breslau, Silesia Province, then in Germany...
to perform the complete Beethoven Concerti at the London Beethoven Festival.
He has performed in 27 countries in recital and with such major orchestras as the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
, New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
, Chicago Symphony, Royal Philharmonic and Vienna Symphony. He has appeared in the Great Performances Series at Lincoln Center and the festivals of Ann Arbor, Saratoga, Bergen(Norway), Graz(Austria) and Almeida(England). During his second tour of Australia and New Zealand, he was the soloist for the concerts which opened the famed Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
.
Many distinguished composers of our time such as György Ligeti
György Ligeti
György Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
, Luciano Berio
Luciano Berio
Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian composer. He is noted for his experimental work and also for his pioneering work in electronic music.-Biography:Berio was born at Oneglia Luciano Berio, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (October 24, 1925 – May 27, 2003) was an Italian...
, Alberto Ginastera
Alberto Ginastera
Alberto Evaristo Ginastera was an Argentine composer of classical music. He is considered one of the most important Latin American classical composers.- Biography :...
, Milko Kelemen
Milko Kelemen
Milko Kelemen is a Croatian composer.- Life :Milko Kelemen studied under Stjepan Šulek in Zagreb, under Olivier Messiaen in Paris and Wolfgang Fortner in Freiburg amongst others....
and Vincent Persichetti
Vincent Persichetti
Vincent Ludwig Persichetti was an American composer, teacher, and pianist. An important musical educator and writer, Persichetti was a native of Philadelphia...
have written works especially for him. And he performed the world premieres of compositions include: Ligeti's Piano Concerto (1986), Ginastera's Piano Sonata No.2 (1992), Berio's Points on the Curve to Find (1975), Persichetti's Piano Concerto (1968).
In 1991, he performed the Netherlands premiere of Witold Lutosławski's Piano Concerto with the composer conducting, followed by performances also conducted by Lutoslawski with the Boston Symphony, Polish National Radio Symphony and San Francisco Symphony
San Francisco Symphony
The San Francisco Symphony is an orchestra based in San Francisco, California. Since 1980, the orchestra has performed at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus are part of the organization...
in 1993, on the occasion of the composer's 80th birthday.
He has made a number of recordings. His recording of the Debussy Etudes has been described by the Boston Globe as "one of the wonders of the world". Other recordings include Scarlatti's 14 Keyboard Sonatas, Rachmaninoff's Complete Preludes, op.32 and so on.