2009 filled with 'firsts' for legendary pianist Leon Fleisher

2009 FILLED WITH 'FIRSTS' IN PERFORMANCES AND RECORDINGS FOR LEGENDARY PIANIST LEON FLEISHER February 22: Fleisher Performs in 'new' Alice Tully Hall February 27: Tour with London Philharmonic Orchestra ’àí Fleisher's First Appearance with the Orchestra since 1962 ’àí Stops in New York City March 31: Fleisher's First Two-Hand Piano Concerto Recording in Over 40 Years To Be Released on Sony Classical "... a pianist with an individual cast of mind and much to say..." Paul DRIVER, The Sunday Times of London [Leon Fleisher at the unveiling of his portrait by artist Paul Wyse 12/9/08 at Steinway Hall, NY. The portrait is only the fourth painting to be added to Steinway's collection in the past three decades.] New York, NY ’Äî A fixture on the American music scene for more than six decades, pianist Leon Fleisher starts the New Year by releasing his first two-hand concerto recording in 40 years, with tour dates to support it. As a taste of things to come, Fleisher will perform at the 'new' Alice Tully Hall on February 22 as one of New York City's premier concert venues re-opens its door after a 22-month dramatic renovation. To kick off a two-week celebration, the Opening Nights Festival concert will feature Fleisher playing his signature piece Bach's Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor alongside celebrated colleagues in a program that ranges from 15th-century Sephardic music to Stravinsky to highlight the hall's artistic range. Fleisher will then join the London Philharmonic Orchestra for the first time since the remarkable revival of his career. He will tour the Mozart Piano Concerto K. 488 under the baton of one of the world's most sought-after conductors Vladimir Jurowski. Coming from LPO's very own London home ’àí the refurbished Royal Festival Hall ’àí on February 20, the tour will make two stops on the east coast: in Strathmore Hall on February 26 and Avery Fisher Hall in New York on February 27. This is in preview to Fleisher's new recording to be released March 31 on the Sony Classical label. His first two-hand piano concerto recording in 40 years, the release will be comprised of a trio of Mozart concertos recorded with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra: no. 23 in A Major, K. 488; no. 12 in A Major, K. 414; and no. 7 in F Major for two pianos, K. 242, for which he is joined by his wife Katherine Jacobson-Fleisher. Founded in 1945, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra has held a top position in the international orchestral world for more than 60 years. Under founder and director Karl Mˆºnchinger, the ensemble had developed and cultivated the repertoire of the Viennese Classicists. LEON FLEISHER was a student of the great Artur Schnabel, who studied with keyboard giant and pedagogue Theodor Leschetizky, a pupil of Carl Czerny, who in turn studied with Ludwig van Beethoven. Debuting with the New York Philharmonic in 1944 at the age of 16, Fleisher quickly established himself as one of the world's premier classical pianists, concertizing with every major orchestra and making numerous touchstone recordings. A year of celebratory performances in 2008 commemorating Leon Fleisher's 80th birthday saw his return to three of Europe's most prestigious musical capitals ’àí London, Brussels and Lucerne ’àí playing his first two-hand recitals there in over forty years to enthralled capacity audiences. Leon Fleisher received the 2007 Kennedy Center Honors and is the subject of the OSCAR and EMMY-nominated documentary film Two Hands. LPO DATES Friday, 20 February at 7:30 PM, Royal Festival Hall, London (UK) Thursday, February 26 at 8:00 PM, Music Centre at Strathmore (MD) Friday, February 27 at 8:00 PM, Avery Fisher Hall, (NY) PROGRAM Rachmaninov: The Isle of the Dead (London only) Mahler: Adagio from Symphony No.10 (Strathmore and New York only) Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K.488 Ligeti: Atmosphˆ®res (Strathmore and New York only) Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra For more information on Leon Fleisher or Boss Sounds, please contact Nell Mulderry (nell@bosssounds.com, 212-741-7959), or Widya Widjaja (widya@bosssounds.com, 212-741-7959).