Britt Orchestra / Emanuel Ax

Saturday, August 14, 2010 • 8 p.m.

One of the most beloved pianists performing today, Emanuel Ax has played with countless orchestras and won superlative accolades since he first captured public attention in 1974 when he won the first Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition. A native of Lvov, Poland, Ax moved to Canada with his family when he was a child.

In addition to performing the standard masterworks, Ax has turned his attention in recent years toward the music of 20th-century composers, including John Adams, Bright Sheng and Christopher Rouse. He is also devoted to chamber music, and has worked regularly with artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Peter Serkin and Jaime Laredo. Recent projects included a tour of Asia with the New York Philharmonic and a tour of Europe with both the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Pittsburgh Symphony. He will perform Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1 at Britt.

Ax has recently become a champion of loosening up the etiquette regarding applause at orchestra concerts. He says on his blog, “I really hope we can go back to the feeling that applause should be an emotional response to the music, rather than a regulated social duty. Read more at www.emanuelax.wordpress.com. For more information about Emanuel Ax, visit http://www.emanuelax.com