Maria João Pires, piano

Repertoire to be announced
 

Maria João Pires, a pianist “among the most elegant master-musicians of our time” (Gramophone), graces the Concert Hall stage. Widely acclaimed for her interpretations of Schubert, Mozart, and many more, Pires gave her first public performance at the age of four. Her illustrious career has led to countless recordings, workshops, and world tours, in addition to philanthropic projects that bring music to disadvantaged children and encourage harmonious engagement among generations of artists. Pires has devoted herself to reflecting the influence of art in life, community, and education, and her work on and off stage is a testament to that.

Maria João Pires

“All my life, I thought recitals were stressful. But I discovered something very late, when I was already old: You can share the music with the public, the same way as you do with other musicians. They’re not onstage, but they’re communicating. Listening isn’t easy. As a musician onstage, you can communicate this to people, and then you don’t feel so alone. The mentality of the soloist giving and the public receiving is all wrong. The public gives you as much as you give them, to create this relationship, this flowing energy that we are together.”
—As told to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, 2023