The celebrated pianist and conductor completes his five-year exploration of Schumann’s complete piano works.
Internationally acclaimed pianist and conductor Ian Hobson will conclude his Robert Schumann Cycle at New York’s Tenri Cultural Institute this fall. This recital marks the culmination of a five-year project that began in 2020, showcasing the composer’s complete solo piano and chamber music.
Hobson has titled the program “Florestan and Eusebius,” after Schumann’s dual pseudonyms representing the composer’s passionate and introspective sides. The evening will feature:
Piano Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp minor, Op. 11
~ Intermission ~
Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6
Tickets are $40, available online via Eventbrite or at the door at Tenri Cultural Institute.
Reflecting on the project, Hobson shared: “I never started out to be a completist... I came to all of Schumann’s piano solo and piano chamber music more recently. The journey has been a rewarding privilege. There is no bad music by Schumann. Even at his most abstruse, he is usually inspired. When he is inspired, the results are ineffable.”
Hobson began his Schumann Cycle in 2018 in New York, with performances paused during the pandemic and resumed for completion in 2025.
Ian Hobson is celebrated for his commanding technique, wide-ranging repertoire, and sensitivity to both well-known and neglected works. His career spans more than 60 recordings, including the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven and Schumann and the piano variations of Brahms.
Hobson currently serves as Guest Conductor of Sinfonia Varsovia, Music Director of Sinfonia da Camera, and Professor of Music at both the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Florida State University. He is also a frequent juror for international competitions, including the Van Cliburn, Arthur Rubinstein, and Leeds Piano Competitions.
A native of Wolverhampton, England, Hobson began his international career after winning First Prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition, following early studies at the Royal Academy of Music, Cambridge University, and Yale University.
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