Michael Habermann, pianist
© Michael Habermann
Michael Habermann has been the subject of many press and radio interviews and has been listed in numerous books, Who’s Who, and encyclopedias.
His intense study of the music of Kaikhosru Sorabji has resulted in five highly acclaimed world-première recordings. In 1979, Sorabji dedicated Il Grido del Gallino d’Oro, a 100-page piano work, to him. The topic of his dissertation was Sorabji, with whose music he is internationally associated. Reviews describe his recordings in glowing terms.
Habermann made his New York debut in 1977 to rave reviews and has since given numerous performances, always to critical acclaim. His recitals have been heard on both the Voice of America and National Public Radio.
His repertoire includes (hundreds of) works from all periods. He has given many premiéres of 20th-century works (Casella, Chavez, Fricker, Halffter, Leighton, Ponce, Rieti, Silvestre, Sorabji, Spier, …) and was the soloist in the world première (1975) of Eugene Glickman’s Concerto for Piano and Percussion. He has recorded an album of piano music by the Portuguese composer Alexandre Rey Colaço and other recordings are available.
Born in Paris in 1950, he now resides in the United States. He has lived in Canada (1957–62), Mexico (1962–72), and speaks fluent French and Spanish. His principal piano instructors have been Fernando Laires, Hilde Somer, and Carlos Vázquez. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Composition from Long Island University (1979). In 1985 he was awarded a Doctorate by the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.
His recent writings include a chapter in a book on Vladimir Horowitz edited by David Dubal and a chapter in Sorabji: A Critical Celebration, edited by Paul Rapoport.
As educator he has wide-ranging personal and classroom teaching experience with children, adults, and degree candidates (at the Peabody Institute, Morgan State University and Towson State University). He is a popular Elderhostel lecturer and has also become a sought-after juror for piano competitions.
He is a composer of instrumental, vocal, and piano works, and has written a number of piano transcriptions.
Further information can be found on the artist’s webpage: www.michaelhabermann.com