The Frost Chopin Academy & Festival is honored to present a recital by Garrick Ohlsson, one of the most distinguished pianists of our time and a towering figure in the world of Chopin interpretation. Since winning the 1970 International Chopin Piano Competition—becoming the first American to receive this honor—Ohlsson has built a remarkable international career marked by technical mastery, intellectual depth, and a rare ability to reveal the full emotional and structural richness of the repertoire.
Renowned for his expansive command of piano literature, Ohlsson brings to this program three monumental works that illuminate the breadth of his artistry. Shostakovich’s Prelude and Fugue in E minor, op. 87, with its stark introspection and rigorous contrapuntal design, showcases Ohlsson’s architectural clarity. In Brahms’s Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Handel, op. 24, he turns to one of the great monuments of the Romantic repertoire—a work of symphonic imagination, expressive variety, and dazzling invention. The evening also includes Chopin’s Ballade in A‑flat major, op. 47, a narrative masterpiece whose poetic sweep and emotional depth have long been central to Ohlsson’s musical identity.
Celebrated for performances that combine power, refinement, and profound insight, Ohlsson has appeared with the world’s leading orchestras and in the most prestigious concert halls. His Chopin playing, in particular, is revered for its nobility of sound and expressive sophistication, placing him among the defining interpreters of the modern era.
This recital stands as a centerpiece of the 2026 Festival—an opportunity to experience an artist whose legacy continues to shape the way audiences and musicians understand Chopin’s music.
The concert will open with performances by selected participants of the academy who will play celebrated works by Chopin.
Program:
D. Shostakovich – Prelude and Fugue in E minor, op. 87
J. Brahms – Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, op. 24
F. Chopin – Ballade in A-flat major, op. 47
Renowned for his expansive command of piano literature, Ohlsson brings to this program three monumental works that illuminate the breadth of his artistry. Shostakovich’s Prelude and Fugue in E minor, op. 87, with its stark introspection and rigorous contrapuntal design, showcases Ohlsson’s architectural clarity. In Brahms’s Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Handel, op. 24, he turns to one of the great monuments of the Romantic repertoire—a work of symphonic imagination, expressive variety, and dazzling invention. The evening also includes Chopin’s Ballade in A‑flat major, op. 47, a narrative masterpiece whose poetic sweep and emotional depth have long been central to Ohlsson’s musical identity.
Celebrated for performances that combine power, refinement, and profound insight, Ohlsson has appeared with the world’s leading orchestras and in the most prestigious concert halls. His Chopin playing, in particular, is revered for its nobility of sound and expressive sophistication, placing him among the defining interpreters of the modern era.
This recital stands as a centerpiece of the 2026 Festival—an opportunity to experience an artist whose legacy continues to shape the way audiences and musicians understand Chopin’s music.
The concert will open with performances by selected participants of the academy who will play celebrated works by Chopin.
Program:
D. Shostakovich – Prelude and Fugue in E minor, op. 87
J. Brahms – Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, op. 24
F. Chopin – Ballade in A-flat major, op. 47
Age Appropriateness: 5+
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