Michelle Cann
"Technically fearless with…an enormous, rich sound”—La Scena Musicale
Lauded as “exquisite” by The Philadelphia Inquirer and “a pianist of sterling artistry” by Gramophone, Michelle Cann has become one of the most sought-after pianists of her generation. She made her debut in 2021 with The Philadelphia Orchestra and has recently performed concertos with The Cleveland Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Orquestra Sinfônica Municipal de São Paulo, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the symphony orchestras of Atlanta, Baltimore, and Cincinnati. Highlights of Cann’s 2023-24 season include appearances with the Charlotte, Hawaii, Indianapolis, Québec, Sarasota, and Winnipeg symphony orchestras, and recitals in New York City, Portland, Berkeley, Beverly Hills, and Denver.
Recognized as a leading interpreter of the piano music of Florence Price, Cann performed the New York City premiere of Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement with The Dream Unfinished Orchestra in July 2016. Her recording of the concerto with the New York Youth Symphony won a Grammy Award in 2023. Her acclaimed debut solo album Revival, featuring music by Price and Margaret Bonds, was released in May 2023.
Cann was the recipient of the 2022 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and an Artist’s Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music. Cann joined the Curtis piano faculty in 2020 as the inaugural Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies, and she joined the piano faculty of the Manhattan School of Music in 2023.
Listen now to Michelle Cann’s solo album Revival, Music of Price and Bonds, by scanning the QR code below using the camera on your mobile phone. More information at Curtis.edu/revival.
Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies
Ms. Cann is the inaugural Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies. The chair honors the memory of the school’s longest serving faculty member, the esteemed Eleanor Sokoloff, and is to be held in perpetuity only by an exceptionally gifted and forward-thinking female pianist.
Media
Images
High-resolution files are available to download from the full promotional kit
01 - 09 Michelle Cann (credit Steven Mareazi Willis)
02 - 09 Michelle Cann (credit Jiyang Chen)
03 - 09 Michelle Cann with the Philadelphia Orchestra (credit Jeff Fusco)
04 - 09 Michelle Cann with the Philadelphia Orchestra (credit Jeff Fusco)
05 - 09 Michelle Cann with the Philadelphia Orchestra (credit Jeff Fusco)
06 - 09 Michelle Cann with the Philadelphia Orchestra (credit Jeff Fusco)
07 - 09 Michelle Cann in Field Concert Hall
08 - 09 Michelle Cann in Field Concert Hall
09 - 09 Michelle Cann with the North Carolina Symphony (credit Michael Zirkle)
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Michelle Cann performs selections from Piano Concerto in One Movement by Florence Price with the Philadelphia Orchestra; Verizon Hall, February 2021
Ms. Cann performs Ballade No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 47 by Frédéric Chopin; Gould Rehearsal Hall, July 2020
Ms. Cann performs Piano Sonata in E minor by Florence Price as guest host for From the Top; Interlochen Center for the Arts, March 2019
Ms. Cann performs Ballade Op. 10, No. 2 by Johannes Brahms; February 2021
Ms. Cann teaches 10 short lessons on Chopin’s 3rd Ballade; Tonebase; March 2023
Ms. Cann is featured on PBS/Great Performances “Now Hear This”; April 2022
Find more performances of Ms. Cann on YouTube
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Revival, Music of Price & BondsMichelle Cann’s debut solo piano recording, Revival, celebrates the vast legacy of Florence Price and Margaret Bonds, whose extraordinary music was either neglected in their lifetimes or abandoned after their deaths.
“[Cann] possesses a pristine technical command of the keyboard, and is capable of transmitting in every note a surprising calm and beauty, today a rare gift.” –EarRelevant
Florence Price: Piano Concerto in One Movement with New York Youth Symphony
GRAMMY Award-winning Recording!
Uncovered, Vol. 2: Florence B. Price — Catalyst Quartet & Michelle CannReleased in February 2022 on Azica Records, the album is the second issue of a multi-volume anthology highlighting chamber music works by historically important Black composers which aims to bring greater awareness and programming of their music. Vol. 2 explores the work of the African-American composer Florence B. Price, and includes four world premiere recordings. Already garnering critical acclaim, the release underlines the importance of Price’s output for chamber music and showcases all six of her surviving works for string quartet and piano quintet in “richly imagined performances” (Financial Times) by the Catalyst Quartet and Michelle Cann.
Residencies
Collegiate
Engaging with communities and working with students is central to Ms. Cann’s mission as a performing artist and educator. She has experience designing and leading in-school interactive performances and individual instruction curated by students’ age, skill level, and learning objectives. Her goal is to meet students where they are and to use music as a means of connection.
Ms. Cann offers a variety of instruction for collegiate level music students, including:
- Piano master classes
- Chamber music coaching
- Workshops on developing and leading effective community engagement activities
- Lecture-demonstrations on Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, and other topics
(photo credit: ECU News Services)
Elementary through High School
Ms. Cann offers age-appropriate interactive programs encouraging active participation with a focus on performance and learning objectives. She also offers piano master classes for advanced high school students.