Ursula Oppens

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Ursula Oppens (born 1944 in New York City) is an American classical pianist.

[edit] Overview

After earning her master's degree from the Juilliard School of Music, Oppens made her New York debut in 1969 and went on to take first prize at the Busoni International Piano Competition that same year. In 1971 Oppens co-founded the contemporary music ensemble Speculum Musicae. She was one of the first pianists to test the boundaries of traditional concert programming, by performing both classics and contemporary pieces. One of the foremost champions of new music, several modern composers praise her for her invaluable encouragement and advice in composition, and her illumination of their music.

In 2008, Oppens took up her new post as Distinguished Professor of Music at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. From 1994 through the end of the 2007/2008 academic year she served as John Evans Distinguished Professor of Music at Northwestern University.

[edit] Composers who have written music for Ursula Oppens

• Elliott Carter
• John Harbison
• Gyorgy Ligeti
• Witold Lutoslawski
• Conlon Nancarrow
• Frederic Rzewski
• Charles Wuorinen
• Tobias Picker

[edit] Reference

• Biography