Mitsuko Uchida

From left to right: Uchida performing the Chopin étude Op. 10, No. 2; Bach French Suite, Sarabande, BWV 816; Schubert, Impromptu No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 90 D. 899; excerpt from Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 25, K.503: iii. Allegretto

Continuing to celebrate women classical musicians as part of Women’s History Month, I would like to now turn my attention to pianist Mitsuko Uchida.

Dame Mitsuko Uchida was born on December 20, 1948 in Atami, which is a town very close to Tokyo. Her parents were both diplomats, and she moved to Vienna when she was 12 years old after her father was named the Japanese ambassador to Austria.

The youngest of three children, she studied at the Vienna Academy of Music with Richard Hauser and later Wilhelm Kempff, studying later with Maria Curcio, who had also studied with Arthur Schnabel.

In addition to a wonderful career as a solo and concert artist, her discography includes recordings with several labels, among them Decca, Philips, and Angel Records. Among her seven nominations for a Grammy Award she has won twice, first in 2011 for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) in a Performance with Orchestra (Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 23 & 24), and again in 2017 for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album (Schumann & Berg).

Famous for her interpretations of Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Schoenberg, and Schubert, she has also recorded all of Mozart’s piano sonatas and concerti. She is the recipient of two Gramophone Awards, and is also well known for her recordings of all of Beethoven’s piano concerti as well as his late piano sonatas, in addition to a Schubert piano cycle.

Tap an icon below to share this blog on social media, email, or your favorite messaging app.