Sally Pinkas

Following her Wigmore Hall debut, Israeli-born pianist Sally Pinkas has been heard in recital at Italy’s Villa Serbelloni (Bellagio) and Villa Aurelia (Rome), Bulgaria’s National Gallery (Sofia) and Mirror Hall (Dobrich), in Israel, France and throughout the USA. Described by Gramophone Magazine as “...an artist who melds lucid textures with subtle expressive detailing, minus hints of bombast or mannerism...”, she has appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops, the Aspen Philharmonia, Jupiter Symphony and the Bulgarian Chamber Orchestra. Summer credits include festivals at Apple Hill, Rockport, Marlboro, Tanglewood and Aspen, as well as Kfar Blum (Israel), Officina Scotese (Italy) and Pontlevoy (France).

As a chamber musician, Pinkas explores a wide range of repertoire and genre. With husband Evan Hirsch (The Hirsch-Pinkas Piano Duo) she has toured China, Nigeria, Russia, Israel and Europe. The Duo has commissioned, premiered and recorded works by George Rochberg, Daniel Pinkham and Thomas Oboe Lee for the Naxos and Arsis labels. With her long-time partner flutist Fenwick Smith, Pinkas has recorded a 3-CD set featuring the music of Philippe Gaubert, as well as a Martinu selection (Naxos). She is a member of Ensemble Schumann (with oboist Tom Gallant and violist Steve Larson), and appears regularly with the Adaskin Trio, with whom she has released the Fauré Piano Quartets (MSR).

Pinkas’ solo CD releases include Debussy: Twelve Etudes and Estampes (Centaur), Bread and Roses: Piano works by Christian Wolff (Mode), and Rochberg: Piano Music Vols. III-IV (Naxos). Her recordings of Fauré’s Nocturnes (Musica Omnia) and works by Robert Schumann (MSR) have garnered significant critical acclaim.
Trained in the USA, Pinkas holds performance degrees from Indiana University and the New England Conservatory of Music, and a Ph.D. in Composition and Theory from Brandeis University. Her principal teachers were Russell Sherman, George Sebok, Luise Vosgerchian and Genia Bar-Niv (piano), Sergiu Natra (composition), and Robert Koff (chamber music). Pianist-in-residence at the Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College, she is Professor of Music at Dartmouth's Music Department.