Jacobs Academy

Eteri Andjaparidze has appeared worldwide as a recitalist, soloist with major orchestras and master teacher. Her discography includes Grammy and Deutsche Schallplatten award-nominated solo albums. She is Artist Piano Faculty at NYU Steinhardt and Mannes School of Music, and is in high demand for international festival engagements and master classes.

Edward Auer, Professor of Piano at the Jacobs School, is acclaimed worldwide for his keyboard artistry, especially his Chopin interpretations. He has concertized in over 30 countries on five continents, most often in the U.S., Europe and Asia. A prizewinner in the Warsaw-Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Queen Elizabeth competitions, he is currently recording the complete works of Chopin.

Frederic Chiu has toured on five continents at major venues including Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, among others. He often collaborates with friends Joshua Bell, Pierre Amoyal and with jazz artists. Chiu has recorded 28 albums, including the most extensive set of Prokofiev’s piano works. He teaches at both Carnegie Mellon (Pittsburgh) and the Hartt School (CT).

Arnaldo Cohen, concert pianist and Distinguished Professor at the Jacobs School, earned honors degrees in piano and violin. First prize in the Busoni Competition, he has played hundreds of recitals/concerts with major orchestras around the world. He has served on juries of prestigious international piano competitions, such as the Chopin, Busoni and Van Cliburn.

Read Gainsford has toured the U.S., Europe, Australasia and South Africa extensively as a recitalist, concerto soloist and collaborative musician.  He has made solo debuts at Wigmore Hall, Carnegie’s Weill Hall, Kennedy Center, Queen Elizabeth Hall and many other venues. He is Professor of Piano and Coordinator of Keyboard Studies at Florida State University.

Brian Ganz, laureate of the Marguerite Long (Paris) and Queen Elisabeth competitions, has appeared as soloist with major orchestras in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere. Currently engaged in a quest to perform the complete works of Chopin. Ganz is artist-in-residence at St. Mary’s College (MD) and taught for 20 years at Peabody.

Caroline Hong, Professor of Piano at Ohio State University lauded for her “expressive and powerful playing” and “formidable technique”, enjoys an international career as a soloist, chamber musician, master teacher. A modern music champion, she has recorded all 3 Carl Vine sonatas and been hailed by John Corigliano as “one of the greatest pianists I’ve ever heard.”

Roberto Plano performs worldwide, appearing with major orchestras. Winner of the Cleveland Int’l. Competition, he was a finalist at the Van Cliburn and a laureate at many other competitions. His recordings include critically acclaimed performances of music by Andrea Luchesi and Liszt. Plano is Associate Prof. of Piano at the Jacobs School since 2018.

Jean-Louis Haguenauer, Professor of Piano at the Jacobs School, has concertized extensively internationally. An admired collaborative pianist, Haguenauer has partnered with prominent chamber groups worldwide. A distinguished Debussy interpreter, he has recorded the complete Debussy melodies and most of Debussy’s solo piano music.

Emile Naoumoff, Professor on the artist piano faculty of the Jacobs School, displays the fire of Horowitz and the poetry of Rubinstein, according to one critic.  A musical prodigy, Emile was chosen by Nadia Boulanger as her pupil for a decade when he was age seven. 

Steven Spooner, Professor of Piano at Peabody, has been acclaimed worldwide for performances of such “breadth and variety of difficult pieces” that one major critic wondered if a Spooner recording was a hoax. An innovative programmer, he sometimes allowing the audience to vote on the spot for one of five programs.  Spooner has released more than 30 recordings including a set of 16 CDs, Dedications, honoring his pianistic heroes.