Since his 2007 win in Palm Springs, Vijay Venkatesh has collected accolades across three continents, earning top prizes at the San Jose, Seattle, Zimmerli, and World Piano Competitions. He’s been a Davidson Fellow Laureate at the Library of Congress, USC Thornton’s Discovery Scholar, and Grand Prize Winner of the Los Angeles Music Center’s Spotlight Awards.
The California native earned his Artist Diploma at the Colburn School under Fabio Bidini. He holds degrees from the USC Thornton School of Music and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he studied with Norman Krieger and André Watts. Other mentors include Jeffrey Kahane, Menahem Pressler, and Murray Perahia.
This training prepared Venkatesh well for a wide-ranging career. He’s appeared as soloist with the symphony orchestras of Seattle, Vienna, Pasadena, and the Brevard Music Center, among many others. He’s collaborated with an impressive roster of conductors, including James Conlon, Carlos Miguel Prieto, and Ludovic Morlot. Recent highlights include performances at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall with the Colburn Orchestra, Chicago’s Dame Myra Hess Series, and appearances at the Aspen, Banff, Highlands-Cashiers, and Music in the Mountains Festivals.
Upcoming Orange County performances showcase Venkatesh’s artistry. Early next year he partners with Seacoast Symphony for Grieg’s Concerto in A Minor, followed by the South Coast Symphony for Bach BWV 1062. Venkatesh also collaborates with his wife, pianist Eva Schaumkell, with whom he tours widely as the Vieness Piano Duo. He’s performed extensively in California and elsewhere as one third of the award-winning Aristeia Trio.
His recordings include two brand new Naxos releases dedicated to Mozart: Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 6 and Mozart: Keyboard Works – Fragments and Rarities, and he’s been featured on NPR’s From the Top and What Makes It Great? with Robert Kapilow, bringing his musical insights to audiences nationwide.
The Palm Springs International Piano Competition is exceedingly proud of virtuoso Vijay Venkatesh!
