*Leon Fleisher*

Renowned pianist, conductor and teacher Leon Fleisher, now in his sixth decade before the public. In 1944, he made his debut with the New York Philharmonic, and Fleisher’s career was on a smooth upward trajectory until 1965 when he was suddenly struck silent when two fingers of his right hand became immobile. Forced to “retire” from performing at only 37 years old, Fleisher distinguished himself as a conductor and teacher and learned to play the repertoire of compositions for piano left-hand. Recently, he began treatments that finally helped relieve the neurological affliction known as focal dystonia that had been plaguing him for more than half his life. Fleisher has been playing –; infrequently –; with both hands again, and has just made his first two-hand recording in 40 years, a sort of musical biography called Two Hands. Its repertoire ranges from J.S. Bach and Domenico Scarlatti via Chopin and Debussy to Franz Schubert [Vanguard Classics].

*Katherine Jacobson-Fleisher*

Katherine Jacobson-Fleisher made her Carnegie Hall debut to critical acclaim in 2004 with duo piano partner Leon Fleisher and the New York String Orchestra, Jaime Laredo, conductor. The New York Times praised their “abundant musicality and refined technique”. Ms. Jacobson-Fleisher has appeared as soloist and duo pianist with many leading orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Gulbenkian Orchestra of Portugal, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra and regular appearances with the Aspen Chamber Symphony at the Aspen Summer Music Festival. This season her concert schedule will take her to Japan, France, Germany and Norway, as well as the United States.

Ms. Jacobson-Fleisher, together with her former duo piano partner won first prize in the USA Piano Ensemble Competition. She currently directs the piano ensemble program at the Peabody Conservatory of Music.

At the Cleveland Institute of Music, she studied with the renowned duo piano team Vronsky and Babin. Her major musical influence was Leon Fleisher, with whom she worked at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Ms. Jacobson-Fleisher and Mr. Fleisher perform duo piano concerts throughout the world.