Pianist Jonathan Biss - 6abc Loves the Arts

The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society has made it its mission to present exceptional musicians from around the world at prices low enough that virtually everyone can afford. Later this month, it's Jonathan Biss, one of the world's most celebrated classical pianists, and he's coming to Philadelphia for a one night only show.

At 34 years old, Biss has already created a name for himself as one of the most distinctive voices in the world of chamber music-a pianist renowned for his technique, versatility and poetry on the keyboard.

"He's a deeply musical figure, who has a wonderful intellectual curiosity in everything that he does," says Miles Cohen, Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society.

The third generation in a family of professional musicians, Biss made his New York stage debut at age 20 and 2 years later launched his European career. He now gives recitals in major music capitals around the world.

"He's so young still, but he's achieved just about everything you can as a musician," says Cohen. "He plays with all the great orchestras in Europe, in the United States, in the Far East."

Biss has strong ties to Philadelphia. He studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and is now a teacher there who's undertaken a 9 year project to record all of the Beethoven sonatas. His performance here will be book-ended by 2.

"And then in between that we'll have late Shuman and early works of the second Viennese school by Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg," says Cohen, "he's trying to give you different landscapes that the composers were featuring at the different points of their lives."

Cohen says the 600-seat Perelman Theatre at the Kimmel Center is the type of intimate venue that Biss excels in.

"He will certainly open worlds up to you and you will definitely want to take that journey with him throughout the course of the concert."

Jonathan Biss performs for the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society on January 22nd at 8pm in the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theatre.

For tickets go to www.TheArtsinPhilly.org