Marilyn Nonken
Pianist
— photo by Sharka Bosakova
Marilyn Nonken
"Nonken's performances are marvels of keyboard mastery and musical command." — The Boston Globe ("Best of '97, '99, '00, '01, '02")
"A pianist from music's leading edge." — The New York Times
"Nonken's performance came as a revelation." — The Washington Post
"One of the greatest interpreters of new music." — The American Record Guide
"This pianist enthusiastically explores modern and other contemporary areas where a lot of pianists fear to hang out, and she packs enough artistry and technique for the journey." — The Village Voice
Marilyn Nonken is one of the most celebrated champions of the modern repertoire of her generation, known for performances that explore transcendent virtuosity and extremes of musical expression. Upon her 1993 New York debut, she was heralded as "a determined protector of important music" (New York Times). Acclaimed internationally as a soloist, she is also known for her work with Ensemble 21 (of which she is a co-founder) and the Australian ensemble Elision. Composers who have written for her include Milton Babbitt, Pascal Dusapin, Michael Finnissy, Liza Lim, Tristan Murail, and David Rakowski, as well as emerging Americans Jason Eckardt, Laurie San Martin, and David Langanella. She has recorded for New World, Bridge, Mode, Cairos, Lovely Music, Albany, Metier, Divine Art, Innova, CRI, Tzadik, and New Focus; a recent release is Rakowski’s Piano Concerto (Boston Modern Orchestra Project, under Gil Rose,) and upcoming releases include Brian Ferneyhough’s Les Froissements des Ailes de Gabriel and La chute d’Icare (Elision, under Jean DeRoyer), Olivier Messiaen's Visions de l'Amen(with Sarah Rothenberg), and Roger Reynolds's Angel of Death. Her 2009-2010 season highlights include the world premiere of new works written for her by Richard Beaudoin, Elizabeth Hoffman, and David Rakowski; two concerts at The Festival of American Music; and performances of Tristan Murail's Territoires de l'Oubli and Morton Feldman's Triadic Memories.
Marilyn Nonken was a student of David Burge at the Eastman School and received a Ph.D. from Columbia University. Currently Director of Piano Studies at New York University’s Steinhardt School, she is a Steinway artist.