
Aaron Kurz, United States

American pianist Aaron Kurz enjoys a burgeoning career, engaging audiences with his charismatic and moving performances. He has captivated listeners across three continents in renowned venues including Carnegie Hall in New York, Salle Cortot in Paris, and the Palace of Peace and Harmony in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. His performances have been praised by the press as “nuanced musical journeys” by Belgium’s Le Soir and “a lesson in pianism” by England’s Cambridge Independent. Most recently, Aaron completed a tour of Asia, performing and teaching at numerous venues across Indonesia and China. He is scheduled to return to the region for another tour in fall 2026.
Aaron has earned top prizes in several prestigious competitions, including the New York, Los Angeles, Virginia Waring, and World Piano Teachers Association International Piano Competitions, among others. He has performed extensively throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, appearing as soloist with orchestras such as the Fort Worth Symphony, City of Cambridge Symphony Orchestra (England), Shanxi Shuozilun Symphony Orchestra (China), and the Central Texas Philharmonic.
He holds degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Jon Nakamatsu and Jeremy Denk, and Yale University, where he studied under Boris Berman. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree at the University of Texas, studying with Anton Nel. His previous teachers include Ian Jones, Norma Fisher, Alexander Kobrin, Logan Skelton, Carol Leone, and Ethel Fang.
In his spare time, Aaron enjoys watching sports, reading, and spending time with his friends and fiancée, Vivian.
Competitor: Second Triennial Olga Kern International Piano Competition. October 27–November 3, 2019. Albuquerque, New Mexico.
First Round
- Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata in D Major, K. 119
- Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata in d minor, K. 213
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata No. 12 in F Major, K. 332
- Allegro
- Adagio
- Allegro assai
- Sergei Rachmaninoff: Prelude in B-flat Major, Op. 23, No. 2
- Claude Debussy: Étude No. 11, “Pour les arpèges composes,” L. 136
- György Ligeti: Étude No. 13, “L’escalier du diable” (“The Devil’s Staircase”)
Quarterfinal Round
- Joseph Haydn: Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:24
- Allegro
- Adagio
- Finale: Presto
- Sergei Rachmaninoff: Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op. 42
- Olga Kern: Status Animae (State of Soul)—Two Pieces for Solo Piano
- Meditation
- Rhythm Obsession
- Samuel Barber: Sonata in e-flat minor, Op. 26
- Allegro energico
- Allegro vivace e leggero
- Adagio mesto
- Fuga: Allegro con spirito
Semifinal Round—Chamber Music
- Antonín Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 81, B. 155
- Allegro ma non tanto
- Dumka: Andante con moto
- Scherzo (Furiant): Molto vivace
- Finale: Allegro
Final Round
- Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26
- Andante—Allegro
- Tema con variazioni
- Allegro, ma non troppo
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