Esther Budiardjo (born September 24, 1972) is an Indonesian pianist. Esther Budiardjo was born on September 24, 1972 in

Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...

. At age fourteen, she sent an audition tape to the

New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, but due to her age they felt she should first attend The Walnut Hill School in

Natick Natick ( ) is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 37,006 at the 2020 census. west of Boston, Natick is part of the Greater Boston area. ...

, where she graduated in 1990. At the New England Conservatory she studied under Wha Kyung Byun. Early career honors include winning first prize at the 1996

William Kapell Oscar William Kapell (September 20, 1922 – October 29, 1953) was an American classical pianist. ''The Washington Post'' described him as "America's first great pianist", while ''The New York Times'' described him as "one of the last century's ...

International Piano Competition, where she performed Balakirev's ''

Islamey ''Islamey: Oriental Fantasy'' (), is a composition for piano by Russian composer Mily Balakirev written in 1869. Harold C. Schonberg noted that ''Islamey'' was "at one time…considered the most difficult of all piano pieces and is still one of ...

'',

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

's '' 33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli,'' and Chopin's E minor Concerto. She was also a finalist at the 1999

Queen Elisabeth Competition The Queen Elisabeth Competition (, ) is an international competition for career-starting musicians held in City of Brussels, Brussels. The competition is named after Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Belgium, Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (1876–1 ...

. Her debut album was a collection of pieces by

Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions inc ...

. In the ''

American Record Guide The ''American Record Guide'' (''ARG'') is a classical music magazine. It has reviewed classical music recordings since 1935. History and profile The magazine was founded by Peter Hugh Reed in May 1935 as the ''American Music Lover''. It chan ...

,'' Alexander Morin wrote "Her approach is vigorous and zestful; her technique is impressive." Her rendition of ''Fantasia on The Last Rose of Summer'' from the album was one of the many recordings fraudulently released on CD under the name

Joyce Hatto Joyce Hilda Hatto (5 September 1928 – 29 June 2006) was an English concert pianist and piano teacher. In 1956 she married William Barrington-Coupe, a record producer who was convicted of Purchase Tax evasion in 1966. Hatto became famous very ...

. Regarding her recording

Leopold Godowsky Leopold Mordkhelovich Godowsky Sr. (13 February 1870 – 21 November 1938) was a virtuoso pianist, composer and teacher, born in what is now Lithuania to Jewish parents, who became an United States of America, American citizen in 1891. He ...

's '' Java Suite,''

Harold C. Schonberg Harold Charles Schonberg (29 November 1915 – 26 July 2003) was an American music critic and author. He is best known for his contributions in ''The New York Times'', where he was chief music critic from 1960 to 1980. In 1971, he became the fi ...

wrote in ''ARG,'' "Budiardjo is a powerful pianist who employs her superb technique with taste. She is completely on top of the music, playing with strong rhythm and assured technique.''"''

Discography

* ''

Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include symphonie ...

: Piano Pieces,'' ProPiano 224524, 1999.Morin, Alexander. "Mendelssohn: Piano Pieces: Rondo Capriccioso; Last Rose of Summer; Fantasy in F-Sharp Minor, Op 28; Songs without Words, Books II+VI; 3 Etudes, Op 102; Etude in F Minor: The Record Connoisseur's Magazine." ''

'', vol. 62, no. 5, Sep, 1999, pp. 197 ** ''Rondo Capriccioso'' ** ''Last Rose of Summer''; ** ''Fantasy in F-sharp minor'', op 28; ** ''

Songs Without Words ''Songs Without Words'' (') is a series of short lyrical piano works by the Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn written between 1829 and 1845. His sister, Fanny Mendelssohn, and other composers also wrote pieces in the same genre. Music The ...

'', Books II+VI ** 3 Etudes, Op. 102 ** Etude in F minor * ''Godowsky:Java Suite,'' ProPiano 224529, 2000. ** '' Java Suite'' by

** ''Exotique (Danse Javanaise)'' from ''Novelettes'' by

Alexandre Tansman Alexander Tansman (, French: Alexandre Tansman; 12 June 1897 – 15 November 1986) was a Polish composer, pianist and conductor who became a naturalized French citizen in 1938. One of the earliest representatives of neoclassicism, associated with ...

** ''The

Gamelan Gamelan (; ; , ; ) is the traditional musical ensemble, ensemble music of the Javanese people, Javanese, Sundanese people, Sundanese, and Balinese people, Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussion instrument, per ...

of Bali'' from ''Le Tour du monde en miniature'' by Tansman ** ''Flute in the Forest of Bandoeng from Java'' from ''Le Tour du monde en miniature'' by Tansman *''Moszkowski'', ProPiano, 2003. ** ''

Hungarian Dances The ''Hungarian Dances'' () by Johannes Brahms ( WoO 1), are a set of 21 lively dance tunes based mostly on Hungarian themes, completed in 1879. They vary from about a minute to five minutes in length. They are among Brahms's most popular wo ...

'', Book 1 by

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period (music), Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, oft ...

, transcribed for solo piano by

Moritz Moszkowski Moritz Moszkowski (23 August 18544 March 1925) was a German-Polish composer, pianist, and teacher.Created via preloaddraft Indonesian classical pianists New England Conservatory alumni 1972 births Living people