We're so happy to announce that Philadelphia-based pianist and educator Dr. Charles Abramovic has been inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame. It's a prestigious designation recognizing the work of North America’s most committed and passionate piano educators. He was nominated by Jacobs Music, the local Steinway affiliate.
Dr. Abramovic, who is professor and chair of keyboard studies at Temple Univeristy's Boyer College of Music and Dance, has taught at Temple since 1988 and is an active part of the musical life of Philadelphia, performing with numerous organizations in the city. He is a core member of the Dolce Suono Ensemble, and performs often with Network for New Music and Orchestra 2001.
WRTI had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Abramovic to our performance studio back in May, 2018 for a live broadcast where he played Dana Suesse's American Nocturne. WRTI's Kevin Gordon was host.
Dr. Abramovic has won critical acclaim for his international performances as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborator with leading instrumentalists and singers, and has performed a vast repertoire not only on the piano, but also the harpsichord and fortepiano.
He made his solo orchestral debut at the age of 14 with the Pittsburgh Symphony. Since then he has appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Baltimore Symphony, the Colorado Philharmonic, the Florida Philharmonic, and the Nebraska Chamber Orchestra. He has given solo recitals throughout the United States, France and Yugoslavia. He has also appeared at major international festivals in Berlin, Salzburg, Bermuda, Dubrovnik, Aspen and Vancouver.
Dr. Abramovic has performed with artists including Midori, Sarah Chang, Robert McDuffie, Viktoria Mullova, Kim Kashkashian, Mimi Stillman and Jeffrey Khaner. His recording of the solo piano works of Delius for DTR recordings has been widely praised. He has recorded for EMI Classics with violinist Sarah Chang, and Avie Recordings with Philadelphia Orchestra principal flutist Jeffrey Khaner. Actively involved with contemporary music, he has also recorded works of Milton Babbitt, Joseph Schwantner, Gunther Schuller and others for Albany Records, CRI, Bridge, and Naxos.
In 1997, Dr. Abramovic received the Career Development Grant from the Philadelphia Musical Fund Society, and in 2003 received the Creative Achievement Award from Temple University. His teachers have included Natalie Phillips, Eleanor Sokoloff, Leon Fleisher, and Harvey Wedeen.
This fall, 44 teachers from the United States and Canada were inducted into the Steinway Teacher Hall of Fame with special events hosted at the historic Steinway factory in New York City. Each teacher inducted into the Hall of Fame was nominated by a Steinway & Sons showroom in the teacher’s home region. The teachers’ names are now displayed on a commemorative display wall inside the iconic factory.
“Music education has been a cornerstone of our historic company since the late 1800s, and today is no different,” said Gavin English, President of Steinway & Sons Americas. “We are very proud to work with the talented music educators inducted this fall into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame.