Toronto, October 4, 2023 – Internationally acclaimed pianist Jeremy Denk has joined The Royal Conservatory’s Glenn Gould School as the School’s new Ihnatowycz Chair in Piano. A frequent performer at Carnegie Hall, he has appeared in recent seasons with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and Cleveland Orchestra, as well as on tour with Academy St. Martin in the Fields, and at Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms.
The Ihnatowycz Chair in Piano at The Glenn Gould School nurtures the artistic development of students in the Ihnatowycz Piano Program which was established in 2013 through a transformational gift by Mr. Ian Ihnatowycz and Dr. Marta Witer, both alumni of The Royal Conservatory. The inaugural Ihnatowycz Chair in Piano was held by legendary pianist Leon Fleisher (1928-2020) and Mr. Denk is only the second artist to be named to this position. Mr. Denk’s first master class as Chair will take place at The Glenn Gould School on October 20, 2023 with additional classes taking place throughout the year. The School is also now accepting applications for Fall 2024 admission.
Said Dr. Peter Simon, President & CEO of The Royal Conservatory, “I cannot think of anyone more fitting to succeed the legendary Leon Fleisher in this role and continue his legacy in representing the very highest standard of musical expression. Jeremy is an artist whose musicianship and intellectual depth I have admired for several decades. As with Leon, Jeremy is able to access and illuminate the very deepest levels of human awareness through his insightful performances which are invariably a revelation.”
Mr. Denk is also a New York Times bestselling author for his 2022 memoir, Every Boy Does Fine, He wrote the libretto for a comic opera presented by Carnegie Hall, Cal Performances, and the Aspen Festival, and his writing has appeared in the New Yorker, the New Republic, The Guardian, and on the front page of the New York Times Book Review. Mr. Denk and is a winner of both the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship and the Avery Fisher Prize. He was also recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
“Jeremy is one of the most insightful and inspiring pianists on the world’s concert stages today,” said James Anagnoson, Dean, The Glenn Gould School. “I am very excited to welcome him to The Glenn Gould School where I know his exceptional musicianship and natural mentorship will be an ongoing source of inspiration for GGS students and faculty alike.”
Mr. Denk is a distinguished recording artist. His recording of the Goldberg Variations for Nonesuch Records reached No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Charts. His recording of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111 paired with Ligeti’s Études was named one of the best discs of the year by the New Yorker, NPR, and the Washington Post, and his account of the Beethoven sonata was selected by BBC Radio 3’s Building a Library as the best available version recorded on modern piano.
About The Glenn Gould School
The Glenn Gould School is the leading Canadian post-secondary institution dedicated exclusively to performance training. Located at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, an establishment with a 130-year-old tradition of excellence, The Glenn Gould School offers classical music students a nurturing environment and close mentoring from its illustrious faculty. It is also one of the few music schools in North America integrated with a major performing arts centre – the acclaimed Koerner Hall. Graduates of The Glenn Gould School are widely renowned on the world’s stages and have assumed leadership positions within prominent cultural organizations.
rcmusic.com/ggs/homeAbout The Royal Conservatory of Music
The Royal Conservatory of Music is one of the largest music education institutions in the world, providing the definitive standard of excellence in curriculum design, assessment, performance training, teacher certification, and arts-based social programs. Over 500,000 students study its RCM Certificate Program through a network of 30,000 independent music teachers and its over 5 million alumni include Glenn Gould, Oscar Peterson, Shania Twain, Sarah McLachlan, and David Foster.
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