Sat Oct 7
Rare Solo Piano Performance
Michel Camilo was born in the Dominican Republic. He graduated from the National Conservatory with a degree of Professorship in Music and at the age of 16 became the youngest member of the National Symphony Orchestra. He moved to New York in 1979 and studied at Mannes and Juilliard School of Music. Since his 1985 Carnegie Hall debut he has become a prominent figure performing regularly at festivals and concert venues worldwide.
Mr. Camilo is a Grammy, Emmy and four-time Latin Grammy Award-winning pianist and composer. He is the recipient of the 2019 Klavier Festival Ruhr Festival Prize. Mr. Camilo is known for his virtuosity, innovation, and eclectic musical style, which draws on elements of jazz, classical music, and Latin American rhythms and melodies. He has performed with some of the biggest names in jazz and classical music and has been recognized as one of the leading jazz pianists of his generation.
Highlights include serving as Jazz Creative Director Chair for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Co-Artistic Director of the 1st Latin-Caribbean Music Festival at the Kennedy Center where he premiered his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1, appointed as Artist in Residence at the Vienna Konzerthaus, as well as Music Director of the Heineken Jazz Festival (Dominican Republic). His Rhapsody for Two Pianos and Orchestra (commissioned by the Philharmonia Orchestra) was premiered by Katia & Marielle Labèque at Royal Festival Hall. In 2009, Mr. Camilo premiered his Concerto for Piano & Orchestra No. 2 - Tenerife (commissioned by the Tenerife Auditorium) with theTenerife Symphony Orchestra. And in 2017, his Concerto for Jazz Trio & Orchestra, commissioned by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Leonard Slatkin at Orchestra Hall. He is featured in two award-winning music documentary films: Calle 54 (2001) and Playing Lecuona (2015); and has received grants from Meet the Composer Foundation and the New York State Council for the Arts. His extensive discography features Solo Piano albums, Duo, Trio, Sextet, Big Band and with Symphony Orchestras; as well as film soundtracks. His work has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades.
Mr. Camilo’s honors include Honorary Doctorates from Berklee College of Music (Boston), Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Ureña, UTESA University of Santiago, as well as an Honorary Professorship and Honorary Doctorate from his two alma maters, the National Conservatory of Music and Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), Dominican Republic. He is a recipient of the Crystal Apple from the Mayor of the City of New York. The Dominican Government has awarded him its highest civilian honors: Silver Great Cross of the Order of Duarte, Sánchez & Mella, Cultural Personality award, and Knight of the Heraldic Order of Christopher Columbus.