Aaron Kurz: The Art of the Piano

Aaron Kurz, piano

Engaging audiences with his charismatic and moving performances, American pianist Aaron Kurz enjoys a burgeoning career. He has captivated audiences across three continents, in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall in New York to the Palace of Peace and Harmony in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. His performances have been lauded by the press, called both “nuanced musical journeys” (Belgium’s Le Soir) and “a lesson in pianism” (England’s Cambridge Independent).

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Aaron’s playing has also garnered acclaim in competitions, winning top prizes in the New York, Los Angeles, Virginia Waring, and World Piano Teachers Association International Piano Competitions, among others. An avid performer, he has played extensively in North America, Europe, and Asia. Most recently, Aaron has completed a tour of Asia, where he performed and taught at numerous venues across Indonesia and China. He is poised to return to the region for another tour in Fall of 2026.

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After watching classical music videos at the age of two, Aaron became interested in playing the piano. Soon after, he began his studies with Ethel Fang at the Suzuki Institute, and at age nine, he became a student of Dr. Carol Leone. Since then, he has participated in countless festivals, such as the Aspen Music Festival, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, PianoTexas, the Bösendorfer International Piano Academy, and the Gijón International Piano Festival. He is grateful for receiving additional instruction and guidance from many renowned pianists and pedagogues, including Stephen Hough, Paul Lewis, Yoheved Kaplinksy, Julian Martin, John O’Conor, and Earl Wild.

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Aaron believes artists have an obligation to use their craft to improve the world, and he has worked significantly in this capacity. Alongside concertizing, he spent two years working for the Van Cliburn Foundation’s “Cliburn in the Classroom,” a program which teaches classical music principles to children in underprivileged school districts. The goal of the program’s interactive seminars – to inspire a love of music in children and help educate the next generation of classical musicians – spoke to him. Through his playing, he hoped to connect with them and provide an experience they could enjoy and benefit from. He has also worked with the Lift Music Foundation, which provide mini-grants to help underserved musicians afford the costs of a musical education, and he has given numerous outreach concerts in the Bay Area.

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Aaron also wishes to expand the reach of classical music, something he has worked towards in a greater role since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, has performed in various live-streamed series in an attempt to connect with greater audiences around the world. He also believes in the importance of understanding the music to better appreciate and enjoy it, and whenever possible, he speaks alongside his programs to help audiences with this goal.

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Aaron holds recent degrees from SFCM (studying with Jon Nakamatsu and Jeremy Denk) and Yale (studying with Boris Berman), and he is now pursuing a DMA at the University of Texas, under the tutelage of Anton Nel. Other previous teachers include Ethel Fang, Carol Leone, Logan Skelton, Alexander Kobrin, Ian Jones, and Norma Fisher. In his spare time, he enjoys socializing, reading, and watching sports, never missing a Michigan Wolverines football game.