Michael Fennelly, piano

Following his sold-out recital debut in Carnegie’s Weill Hall, pianist Michael Fennelly has toured the world with an array of dynamic programs. This year, he released his debut recording, The Legend of Faust, on One Soul Records.

The native Californian made his first concerto appearance at age ten, and subsequently performed with the orchestras of Orange County, Palo Alto, Livermore, Santa Clara, Berkeley, Mission Viejo, and Aliso Viejo. While still in high school, he was flown to New York as a last-minute replacement for a soloist with the New York Virtuosi Orchestra, and later performed Brahms’ First Piano Concerto in Germany. More recently, he recorded new concerti with the Manhattan Symphony, and performed the Bach conerti with the Barge Festival

Michael Fennelly was taught from age five by his mother, a successful piano teacher, and his father, an avid amateur musician; he continued his studies with Trula Whelan and Earl Voorhies in California. He was a pupil of Dr. Nelita True at the Eastman School of Music, where he was awarded the prestigious Performer’s Certificate. He was then accepted into the studio of Byron Janis at the Manhattan School of Music, where he received the school’s special prize for chamber music and completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree with a dissertation on Metric Structure.

His recitals have been broadcast on WQXR (New York City), NDR Radio (Germany), and KSTA (Palo Alto). On film, he appeared as the young Harry Truman (who initially trained to become a concert pianist!) for PBS’ American Experience.

In New York City, Mr. Fennelly’s position as staff pianist for Columbia Artist Management and the Julliard School has led to innumerable recitals with every instrument and voice type. He is also Distinguished Guest Artist for Olympia Cruises, a member of the German ensemble Hudson Shad, and a performed for the Aristotle Onassis Foundation.

Mr. Fennelly was the United States winner of the Horowitz Competition, and is a prizewinner in the Young Artist Peninsula Music Festival, the Young Keyboard Artist Association, and the Artist International Competition. He has performed in Moscow Conservatory’s International Chopin Symposium, New York’s Schoenberg Music Festival, and Italy’s Wilhelm Kempff Beethoven Seminar, and in mast classes under John O’Connor, Richard Goode, and Abby Simon.