Murray Perahia is a concert pianist and conductor from New York City who is perhaps best known for his refined, aristocratic playing that many feel is unmatched in the world of classical piano performance today. Unlike many famed contemporary pianists who were either child prodigies or began seriously practicing on the instrument at a very young age, Perahia did not begin seriously practicing the piano until the age of 15. His talent and skill were almost immediately apparent to his teachers and those who knew him, and by the time he reached his mid 20s, the young pianist became the first North American to win the prestigious Leeds Piano Competition in 1972. Since then, Perahia has gone on to perform and study with some of the greatest classical musicians of our time, and has recorded several albums of piano music that have gone on to win Grammy Awards.
