Maurizio Pollini was born in 1942 in Milan. He studied the piano with
Carlo Lonati and composition and conducting at the Milan Conservatory.
By 1957, when he performed the Chopin Etudes in Milan, the press had
already begun to take notice of him. His prize-winning performance at
the 1960 Warsaw Chopin Competition was followed by a further period
of study, this time with Arturo Benedetti-Michelangeli. Since the mid-1960s,
Maurizio Pollini has given recitals and appeared with major orchestras
in Europe, the USA and the Far East. He made his American debut in 1968,
undertook his first tour of Japan in 1974, and today still performs
regularly at the world's great international music festivals. He has
also developed a great interest in contemporary works and was one of
the first pianists to champion their cause. Among these contemporary
composers is Pierre Boulez. In addition, new compositions - commissioned
from Manzoni, Donatoni, Guarnieri and Berio by Maurizio Pollini and
the Salzburg Festival - receive their premiere performance with Pollini.
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