biography

Recipient of the 2022 Avery Fisher Career Grant, 29-year-old American pianist Mackenzie Melemed is one of the most celebrated and experienced performers of his generation. Hailed as “an excellent young pianist” by the New York Times, Melemed, with “pianistic maturity twice his age,” is consistently lauded as a consummate recitalist, a sensitive chamber musician and first-class soloist with orchestra.

In recent seasons, Melemed has collaborated with Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Hannu Lintu, Matthew Halls, Tarmo Peltokoski, Michael Stern, Sarah Ioannides, Yoel Levi, Pablo González, Mei-Ann Chen and Michal Klauza, performing as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic, Edmonton Symphony, Orchestra of the Polish Radio, KBS Symphony Orchestra (Korea), Sinfonia Lahti and Symphony Tacoma.

Melemed, a Steinway Artist, completed three degrees (Bachelor, Master, Artist Diploma) at The Juilliard School with Robert McDonald and Emanuel Ax. During his studies, he won Juilliard’s 2019 Leo B. Ruiz Carnegie Hall Recital Prize, 2018 Arthur Rubinstein Prize, and 2016 Gina Bachauer Piano Competition. In 2022, he was the only pianist to receive an Avery Fisher Career Grant, awarded by Lincoln Center to American instrumentalists with the largest prospects for a solo career. He also won the 1st Prize and Chamber Music Prize at the 2017 Maj Lind International Piano Competition, the Jade Medal at the 2019 China International Music Competition, and was named a laureate of the 2021 American Pianists Awards.

From the age of 5, Melemed, then known as “The Little Piano Man,” played weekly for senior citizens, as well as at national fundraising events and on the Rosie O’Donnell Show as one of her youngest guests ever. By the age of 13, Melemed had given over 600 performances around the United States, launched the educational school program “Music with Mackenzie,” headlined a summer-long variety show at the Tropicana Resort in Atlantic City, NJ, and appeared five times at The White House.

Melemed’s passion for the stage shines through his distinctive, memorable performances, communicating both through music and conversation. Melemed enjoys speaking about his curated programs, sharing personal anecdotes that bring his audience closer to the music while being accessible and engaging to seasoned audiences and first-time concert-goers alike. His programs often juxtapose standard and unusual repertoire, and he hopes audiences find connection to unfamiliar music and feel inspired to discover new composers. Melemed also wishes that the next generation of pianists will similarly dare to unearth rare works, expanding the notion of “standard repertoire” for both musician and listener. 

 Melemed is a strong proponent of new music, having recorded world premieres on the Warner Classics and Steinway and Sons labels. In addition to standard repertoire, his growing list of over 40 concerti includes works by Beach, Britten, Carwithen, Hindemith and Rota. In 2020, Melemed commissioned a Piano Concerto from Avner Dorman, which has been performed in Germany, Finland, Poland and Canada. He has commissioned Laura Kaminsky, Sir Stephen Hough, and Avner Dorman for his upcoming solo album.  

Not least, Melemed is a devoted teacher. In addition to his private online studio, he recently launched a YouTube series called “Pianostics: Diagnostics for Pianists” featuring weekly 15-minute lessons on varied repertoire for intermediate and advanced pianists. He is also a frequent guest artist for masterclasses, and has taught at the Sibelius Academy, the University of Houston and Lynn University. 

Since 2020, Melemed has lived in Finland. His success following the 2017 Maj Lind Piano Competition, coupled with his fluency in Finnish from Columbia University language courses, launched his successful performance career with invitations to perform with nearly all of Finland’s orchestras and at major music festivals.

Former teachers include Dean Arvidson, Alexander Korsantia, Olga Rogach and William Smiddy.