Uchida, Mitsuko
Uchida, Mitsuko
Uchida, Mitsuko,
talented Japanese pianist; b. Tokyo, Dec. 20,1948. She began training in childhood in her native city, and at the age of 12 became a pupil of Richard Hauser at the Vienna Academy of Music. In 1968 she won the Beethoven Competition, and in 1970 received 2ndprize at the Chopin Competition in Warsaw. In 1982 she won particular notice in London and Tokyo for her performances of the complete piano sonatas of Mozart. During the 1985-86 season, she appeared as soloist-conductor in all the piano concertos of Mozart with the English Chamber Orch. in London. On Feb. 15, 1987, she made her N.Y. recital debut. In 1989 she was soloist in Mozart’s Piano Concerto, K.271, in Salzburg. In subsequent years, she toured all over the world, appearing as a soloist with leading orchs. and as a recitalist. Her repertoire includes, in addition to the classics, works by Debussy, Schoenberg, and Bartók.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire