About this Artist

“A compelling, sparkling virtuoso” (Boston Music Intelligencer), pianist Michelle Cann made her orchestral debut at age 14 and has since performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cincinnati Symphony, and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. 

   A champion of the music of Florence Price, Cann performed the New York City premiere of the composer’s Piano Concerto with The Dream Unfinished Orchestra in July 2016 and the Philadelphia premiere with the Philadelphia Orchestra in February 2021. 

   Highlights of her 2021/22 season included debut performances with the Atlanta, Detroit, and St. Louis symphony orchestras, as well as her Canadian concert debut with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. She also received 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, Cann holds teaching residencies at the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and the National Conference of the Music Teachers National Association. 

   Cann regularly appears in solo and chamber recitals throughout the U.S., China, and South Korea. Notable venues include the National Centre for the Performing Arts (Beijing), the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the Barbican (London). She has also appeared as co-host and collaborative pianist on NPR’s From the Top. 

   An award winner at top international competitions, in 2019 she served as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s MAC Music Innovator in recognition of her role as an African-American classical musician who embodies artistry, innovation, and a commitment to education and community engagement. 

   Cann studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music, where she holds the inaugural Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies. Her professional artist management is provided by Curtis.