Sophia Agranovich—an internationally acclaimed, multi–award-winning virtuoso pianist, recording artist, educator, producer and artistic director—is celebrated by Fanfare as “a bold, daring pianist in the tradition of the Golden Age Romantics… a tigress of the keyboard,” and hailed by Magazine di Arte e Cultura as “a reincarnation of Liszt in a postmodern guise.” Her performances have been praised by Audiophile for their “orison of uncommon beauty” and by American Record Guide for their “magnificent shading and superior musicianship.”
As a Steinway Artist, she has graced prestigious venues worldwide, including David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Théâtre Na Loba, Teatro di Marcello, Salle Cortot and Ehrbar Saal. Her discography of 11 albums and several singles consistently achieves rave critical acclaim, frequently appearing in the top 10 of global radio airplay charts and is broadcast at major stations. She has received more than 80 international awards for performance and teaching, including First Place at The American Prize, Mykola Lysenko International Competition, Bergen Philharmonic Competition, Beethoven and Schubert international competitions and multiple Global Music Awards.
She is listed in “Who’s Who in America” and “Who’s Who in the World”, serves as a voting member of NARAS, a GrammyU Mentor, the Artistic Director of the classical music series at the Watchung Arts Center, and the Program Chair of the Music Educators Association of New Jersey. She holds Bachelor & Master degrees from the Juilliard School, where she taught piano as a teaching Fellow. She continued her Doctoral studies at the Columbia University.
“A tigress of the keyboard… She is a sort of cross between György Cziffra and Dinu Lipatti, a tigress who is also a poet… The great tragedian of the piano… Smoldering sense of passion… It’s not often that one encounters, in this day and age, an artist who not only has a dazzling technique… but, better yet, an independent and individual way of thinking about music… Agranovich has a way of expressing herself through this music in a way that almost precludes comparisons.”
“Like such Eastern European pianists as Lipatti, Fischer, Cziffra and, yes, Reisenberg, her Chopin is more muscular and less soft-grained than we are normally used to…The only Western European pianist whose Chopin is equally wide-awake was Alfred Cortot.”
-Lynn René Bayley, Fanfare Magazine and The ArtMusicLounge
“Bravo! That was the most unusual and imaginative ‘Wanderer’ Fantasy I ever heard. The abandon you play with, the amazing, amazing coloration… I never heard those arpeggios in the Finale played like that… And what you have done is bringing true character of the Schubertian world.” “Delightful and original performance! You heard a real Lisztian here!”
“Reckless and interesting performance on every level… Fabulous! Incredibly wonderful temperament!”
-David Dubal – International Authority on Piano Literature, Writer, Radio Host, Pianist
“It all comes together in an interpretation that dares to be different. Beauty has tamed the beast… Magnificent shading and superior musicianship.”
“She caresses the notes, milks the music for every expressive possibility, and persuades by a gentle coercion that can be seductive… had to restrain myself from crying with joy at the Venusian beauty of her playing… Finale is a sudden burst of energy and passion. It sparkles, notes tumble over each other, and the music continues to build towards towards a dazzling conclusion. The added touch of restraint works beautifully in a performance that easily reaches the heights.”
-Alan Becker, American Record Guide
“A romantic tigress, a goddess, a wizard of the keys… Every composition she plays sets the piano ablaze as if it were the last day of humanity… Each performance is a confession, a note-by-note autopsy of the soul… She is the reincarnation of Liszt in a postmodern guise… Sophia is one of the few who have transformed tradition into fuel for the future. In her, the ancient and the unprecedented coexist.”
–Filippo Novalis, Magazine di Arte e Cultura, Rome
“Sophia Agranovich’s alchemy of mind-bending technical prowess and heart-melting emotional expressivity add up to one of the most glorious piano recitals this side of Elysium. Urgently recommended… Combining the best of both Brendel and Kempff. It’s as if she has absorbed from Brendel his organizational skill to bind the piece together and reveal its unifying formal principles, while from Kempff she has absorbed the sense of philosophical and spiritual probing.”
-Jerry Dubins, Fanfare Magazine
“A musician of splendid gifts…As a pianist of remarkable technical accomplishments, she is also one of the more sensitive artists who brings to her performances a percipiency and sensibility all too rare among her contemporaries. She is a singular artist and should be admired for that rare quality alone”.
–David Diamond, American Composer, Juilliard Professor
“Sophia Agranovich is a bold, daring pianist in the tradition of the Golden Age Romantics…. It’s the kind of daredevil exhibition that was bread and butter for the likes of de Pachmann and Hofmann and that most of today’s pianists shy away from… Combines the spaciousness of Richter and propulsion of Gieseking.”
-Myron Silberstein, Fanfare Magazine
“Her breathtaking virtuosity, profound sensitivity and unparalleled dynamic range create music of overwhelming intensity and ethereal beauty.”
–Blair Ingerthron, Broadway World
“…Incredible virtuosity. One can barely catch one’s breath during and after hearing and witnessing such expressive phrasing… Flowing, effervescent rendering…spectacular execution…”
-R J Lannan, Artisan Music Reviews
“The range of moods encompassed is enormous, Her performance has passion, humor, beauty, and above all, deep conviction.”
“She can take her respectable place alongside Curzon, Richter, Pollini, and even Edwin Fischer in the Schubert, and Moravec, Cortot, Rubinstein, Gornostaeva, and a few others as well in the Chopin.”
-Henry Fogel, Fanfare Magazine
Sophia Agranovich performing at Carnegie Weill Hall for the International Music and Arts Society
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“Impeccable musicianship and beauty… Five stars.This is a Schumann recital to treasure.Very strongly recommended.” -Jerry Dubins, Fanfare Magazine Full Review
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“This is Sophia Agranovich’s twelfth album. Each has revealed a virtuoso of uncommon technical accomplishment and a unique interpretive perspective. Many earlier releases have been reviewed here and critics have been unanimous in their positive reactions,, a fairly uncommon situation…”
“Agranovich is a high energy player who displays great intensity and is able to balance local detail with the long line to a degree fairly rare among contemporary pianists. Local rubato is applied generously, but a large-scale piece like the Symphonic Variations also reveals a carefully plotted overall narrative.“
“This is often thought to be one of the most difficult to play of Schumann’s piano works, but one would never guess that here; Agranovich is in complete control at all times. The theme is handled with great sensitivity. The fast sections, such as Variation 1 and Etude 3, feature superb clarity and crisp articulation. Variation 4 has a wonderfully light touch. Not all is powerful extroversion. Variation 9 really sings in its longer lines. The repetitious material in the Finale is nicely varied through control of dynamics and articulation.The G-minor Sonata receives a highly-charged interpretation, emphasizing contrast in the opening movement through imaginative phrasing. This is again in evidence in the second movement; the central section is beautifully done.”
“The Prestissimo Coda of the final movement is a real tour de force... The early Papillons is a work in a similar vein. The playfulness and fantasy of the piece are brought to the fore with an impressively wide gradation of touch. Phrasing is highly flexible throughout; bar lines simply disappear.“
“This is great Schumann playing. It belongs in the company of interpreters like Richter, Nat, Perahia—name your favorites.…. Highly recommended. Five Stars: a superb new entry in Agranovich’s expanding discography of Romantic masterworks.” –Michael Vaillancourt, Fanfare Magazine Full Review
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“Supremely performed…the keystrokes are gloriously textured...Her touch here is exquisite, and is to be respected in its consistency…Stunning…incredibly intimate.”
“She has crafted her presentation of, A Reverie of the Soul: Piano Works by Robert Schumann to such a high standard, that the word glorious is simply not enough, this halcyon manifestation of brilliance shines light a beacon of hope on the horizon of modern classical piano performances.” -Steve Sheppard, OneWorld Music Radio Full Review
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“A Reverie of the Soul is a release well worth having. Sophia Agranovich is an excellent Schumann pianist who makes her case for the bolder, more openly Romantic side of Schumann eloquently and well. Highly recommended. Five stars: Excellent collection of Schumann’s bolder, more impassioned piano pieces.” –Mark Gabrish Conlan, Fanfare Magazine
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“A Reverie of the Soul: Piano Works by Robert Schumann is another brilliant work of art from Sophia Agranovich… Very highly recommended to classical music lovers and those who appreciate incredible piano performances!” -Kathy Parsons, MainlyPiano Full Review
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“Agranovich’s gorgeous and eloquent rendering of the opening movement’s lyrical second theme is pure gold.… Agranovich plays beautifully, with each Étude accorded its individuality, all the while maintaining a sense of proportion and flow throughout the work…
The Arabeske and Papillons exude delicacy and songful poetry… Agranovich’s flexibility of phrasing, and willingness to linger over passages, evoke a bygone golden age of pianism. May there always be a place for this kind of music-making. On balance, a most lovely Schumann recital.” -Ken Meltzer, Fanfare Magazine
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“This Schumann program is titled A Reverie of the Soul. It begins “as fast as possible” and ends with the fluttering of butterflies. Agranovich has a dozen CDs to her credit and more awards than imaginable, along with performances at most of the world’s major concert venues. Her Schumann is both brilliant and beautiful… incredible technical command… an outstanding performance.”
“Agranovich plays this beautiful rondo with a sense of “intimacy and emotional depth” as she writes in her excellent program notes… I have never heard this work played with as much imagination as here. Many, many Schumann piano recitals are in my library and it seems that more appear for nearly every issue. This one is special and will remain in my active listening stack for some time to come.”
Five stars: world-class performances of several of Schumann’s greatest piano works. -James Harrington, Fanfare Magazine Full Review
