12/02/2025
Pianist-composer Michael Stephen Brown is the 2026 winner of the prestigious Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award, presented by the nationally acclaimed Bay Chamber Concerts & Music School. The $25,000 prize for pianists under age 40 was established in 1986 in memory of Andrew Wolf, a distinguished chamber music pianist and co-founder of Bay Chamber.
In the music world, Brown, 38, is something of a superstar. The New York Times called him "one of the leading figures in the current renaissance of performer-composers.” This year, he became a MacDowell Fellow and previously won both an Emerging Artist Award from Lincoln Center and an Avery Fisher Career Grant. He’s played recitals at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the Louvre among many others.
Brown’s playing is a masterclass in skill, passion, and performance. His arms fly skyward, rejoining the keyboard to make a sound that could fill an arena. The next second, his finger work is delicate as lace, a whisper of sound. Brown’s performances draw in listeners, not through spectacle, but a sense of connection forged by Brown’s poetic mastery of his instrument.
“Michael’s artistry embodies the adventurous spirit and poetic intelligence that define the award – a rare blend of imagination, virtuosity, and warmth.” said Manuel Bagorro, Bay Chamber Artistic Director, “It’s a particular joy to welcome Michael into our artistic community.”
For more information, go to https://baychamber.org/andrew-wolf-award
A Preview of the CCSO's Romantic Masterpieces concert, coming up on February 3, 2024!https://ci.ovationtix.com/36687
