Legendary Pianist Menahem Pressler has Died, Aged 99

He was a founding member of the Beaux Arts Trio, an award-winning performer and chamber musician, and a longtime faculty member at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music

Luminary German-born Israeli-American pianist Menahem Pressler has passed away in London today, aged 99.

With a career spanning almost seven decades, Mr. Pressler received numerous awards and honors including six Grammy nominations and multiple honorary doctorates.

He came to the United States in 1946 after fleeing Germany to escape the Nazis with his parents. He went on to win first prize at the Debussy International Piano Competition, in San Francisco, and shortly thereafter made his New York debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Mr. Pressler commenced teaching at Indiana University and started the Beaux Arts Trio in 1955. The trio made more than 50 recordings are universally regarded as one of the most formidable piano trios of all time.

“Mr. Pressler was a brilliant pianist, an extraordinary teacher, and gentle soul who has left an indelible mark on generations of pianists around the globe,” wrote Abra Bush, Jacobs School of Music Dean.