Michelle Cann
"Technically fearless with…an enormous, rich sound”—La Scena Musicale
Pianist Michelle Cann made her orchestral debut at age fourteen and has since performed as a soloist with prominent orchestras such as the Atlanta and Cincinnati symphony orchestras, The Cleveland Orchestra, the New Jersey Symphony, and The Philadelphia Orchestra.
Ms. Cann’s 2022-23 season includes an appearance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, return engagements with the Cincinnati and New Jersey symphonies, and debut performances with the Baltimore, National, New World, Seattle, and Utah symphonies. She makes her debut at Carnegie Hall with the New York Youth Symphony and performs recitals in New Orleans, Little Rock, Sarasota, Toronto, and Washington, D.C.
A champion of the music of Florence Price, Ms. Cann performed the New York City premiere of the composer’s Piano Concerto in One Movement with The Dream Unfinished Orchestra in July 2016 and the Philadelphia premiere with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin in February 2021, which the Philadelphia Inquirer called “exquisite.” She has also performed Price’s works for solo piano and chamber ensemble for prestigious presenters such as Caramoor, Chamber Music Detroit, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, San Francisco Performances, and Washington Performing Arts.
Ms. Cann is the recipient of the 2022 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization, and the 2022 Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award. Embracing a dual role as performer and pedagogue, Ms. Cann frequently teaches master classes and leads residencies. She has served on the juries of the Cleveland International Piano Competition and at the Music Academy of the West. She has also appeared as cohost and collaborative pianist with NPR’s From The Top.
Ms. Cann studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music, where she serves on the piano faculty as the inaugural Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies.
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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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.
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.
Preview on Apple Classical (iOS Only)
Full album release on May 5th
Collaborations
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Michelle Cann, piano
Kimberly Cann, pianoMs. Cann regularly performs duo recitals with her sister, pianist Kimberly Cann. Together their “sheer verve and evident passion is something to behold” (Mountain Xpress).
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Following an early 2022 recording release of the same works, Michelle Cann and the GRAMMY® Award-winning Catalyst Quartet perform the two piano quintets of Florence Price: the powerful and elegiac Quintet in A minor and the smaller Quintet for Piano and Strings.
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Renowned for her artistic versatility, charisma, and entrepreneurial endeavors, soprano Karen Slack performs recitals with Michelle Cann, including songs by Florence Price and Margaret Bonds.
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.