Thomas Rosenkranz is a visionary pianist and dedicated educator. He defies convention by seamlessly blending the classical and contemporary repertoires often including improvisation into his performances. Recognized as one of the most innovative pianists of his generation, He is active world-wide as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator.
His 2024-2025 season will see him embark on a global tour featuring Olivier Messiaen’s monumental work, Vingt Regards sur L’Enfant-Jesus, with performances scheduled in Singapore, Shenyang, Hangzhou, Seoul, and various cities in the United States, including Tampa, Denver, Phoenix, and Kansas City.
His accolades include being the 2003 recipient of the Classical Fellowship Award from the American Pianists Association as well being named National Winner of the Music Teachers National Association. Notable festivals where he has performed include the Lincoln Center Arts Festival, Hell Hot! in Hong Kong, Amalfi Coast Festival in Italy, Shanghai New Music Festival, SoundScape Festival in Switzerland, and the Carthage International Festival in Tunisia. Additionally, he has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras, including the Indianapolis Symphony and the Beirut National Orchestra, and was featured in a seven-city tour of China with the Oberlin Orchestra, performing at esteemed venues such as Beijing’s National Concert Hall and Shanghai’s Grand Theatre.
In addition to his performance career, Rosenkranz is a sought after artist teacher, having conducted residencies and masterclasses at prestigious institutions, including the conservatories of Shanghai, Shenyang, Xinghai, Tianjin, and Xi’an in China, as well as Taipei Normal University, Seoul National University, and Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in Singapore. In the United States, he has taught at Princeton University, Oberlin Conservatory, and New York University. In 2019, he was named as an Honorary Visiting Professor at the Sichuan Conservatory in China, where he offers annual masterclasses and lectures. He served as jury member for the 2024 Yunnan International Piano Arts Festival and Competition in China.
The performance and commissioning of new works have been significant aspects of his musical career. He has commissioned and premiered compositions by notable composers, including Mark Applebaum's Curb Weight Surgical Field, Christopher Dietz's Till the End my Dear, Jesse Jones's Hark!, Mikel Kuehn's Chimera, and Paul Lansky's Textures. In addition, he has collaborated closely with established composers such as John Adams, George Crumb, John Harbison, Michael Jarrell, Steve Reich, and Frederic Rzewski. His extensive discography includes several contemporary music recordings: Toward the Curve on Oberlin Records, which features new works for piano and electronics alongside his improvisations; Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich performed with Ensemble Signal on Harmonia Mundi France; and After the End, which includes premieres from Jesse Jones and Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez on New Focus Records. He has also recorded African Math, featuring piano trios with Martin Scherzinger, also released on New Focus Records.
Artistic diplomacy has also been a significant aspect of Rosenkranz's career. He served as a Cultural Ambassador for the United States Department of State from 2003-2004, fostering mutual understanding through music during tours in Tunisia and Lebanon, where he presented concerts, lectures, and public masterclasses. In 2022, he was named a Senior Fulbright Scholar to Taiwan, serving as an artist-in-residence at Tunghai University in Taichung, where he conducted concerts, masterclasses, and lectures throughout the region.
Rosenkranz studied under Robert Shannon at the Oberlin Conservatory (B.M.) where he was awarded the William Abate Prize in Piano upon graduation and at the Eastman School of Music (M.M. and D.M.A.), where he studied with and served as a teaching assistant to Nelita True. He continued his studies in Paris with Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen through the generous support of the Presser Foundation for Music.
He currently serves as Professor of Piano and Keyboard Area Coordinator at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory where he was awarded the 2023 Kauffman Excellence in Research/Creative Activity Award.
For more information about Professor Rosenkranz, please visit: http://www.thomasrosenkranz.net
