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An esteemed artist of distinction, the American pianist DIANE WALSH is regularly heard on disc and in recital, chamber music and concerto performances throughout the world. In addition to possessing a vast and varied repertoire, ranging from Bach to Bolcom, her recent work on the theatre stage has brought wider recognition of her superlative musical gifts. Ms. Walsh’s current season is highlighted by a return to the Portland Symphony Orchestra for a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto #4 under the baton of Music Director Eckart Preu during the orchestra’s centennial season.
Diane Walsh has been guest soloist with the American Symphony Orchestra and the orchestras of Austin, Delaware, Indianapolis, Portland, San Francisco, St. Louis, Springfield (MA) and Syracuse, and toured with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Abroad, she appeared with the radio symphony orchestras of Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart, as well as orchestras in Brazil, The Netherlands, The Czech Republic and Russia. Among the noted conductors with whom she has collaborated are Kazuyoshi Akiyama, David Amado, Guillermo Figueroa, Peter Bay, Leon Botstein, Michael Butterman, Grant Cooper, John Giordano, Stephen Gunzenhauser, Eliahu Inbal, Keith Lockhart, John Nelson, Roger Nierenberg, Kyle Wiley Pickett, Ruth Reinhardt, Ransom Wilson and David Zinman. In recital, Ms. Walsh has been presented in many of the country’s most distinguished venues, among them New York City’s 92nd Street Y, Merkin Concert Hall, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Miller Theatre, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC and Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, while international sites include Wigmore Hall (London), the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Philharmonic Hall (St. Petersburg), Dvorák Hall (Prague) and the Mozarteum (Salzburg).
Diane Walsh joined the cast of 33 Variations, the award-winning play by Moisés Kaufman, in its 2007 debut production at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. The work is focused on Beethoven’s last years and his composition of the Diabelli Variations, which Ms. Walsh performed on stage throughout the play. After a subsequent run at the La Jolla Playhouse, 33 Variations opened on Broadway at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre, starring Jane Fonda and with Ms. Walsh as the pianist. From February through May 2009, she appeared in 113 performances. Ms. Walsh returned to 33 Variations, again starring Ms. Fonda, for a five-week run at Los Angeles’ Ahmanson Theatre in February, 2011.
An active recording artist, Diane Walsh has released 18 discs of diverse repertoire for Biddulph, Composers Recordings, Inc., KOCH International, Newport Classic, Nonesuch, Sony and Stereophile. Jonathan Digital Recordings has issued Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations and, two volumes of the complete Schubert Piano Sonatas. In the spring of 2015, she released an album of Bach suites on a private label, available through digital downloads from Amazon and Apple Music.
Diane Walsh is constantly in demand as a chamber musician, frequently performing at the music festivals of Bard, Cape Cod, Chesapeake, Marlboro, Portland, Santa Fe, Strings Music Festival and the International Musician’s Seminar in Cornwall. She has collaborated with the Brentano, Fine Arts, Jupiter, Lydian, Mendelssohn and New Zealand string quartets, and is a member of the Walsh-Drucker-Cooper Trio and Boston Arts Ensemble. From 1999 to 2004, Ms. Walsh served as Artistic Director of the Skaneateles Festival in upstate New York, a tenure during which she presented world-renowned performers and designed and performed in innovative programs that included An Evening with Bill Irwin and The Love Letters of Robert and Clara, set to music by the Schumanns.
Among her many honors and awards, Diane Walsh includes the Concert Artists Guild International Competition and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions. She was winner of top prizes in the Munich ARD and Salzburg Mozart competitions, as well as Maryland’s William Kapell International Competition and Italy’s Busoni International Competition. A prizewinner in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, she also won that competition’s chamber music award.
Diane Walsh was associate professor at New York City’s Mannes College of Music for 32 years and, in the Fall of 2015, served as Visiting Artist at Colby College in Maine. She lives in Portland, Maine with her husband, the writer Richard Pollak. Ms. Walsh is a Steinway Artist.
[CHAMBER ENSEMBLE REPERTOIRE FOLLOWS CONCERTO LIST]
BACH
Brandenburg Concerto #5 in D, BWV 1050
Concerto #1 in d, BWV 1052
Concerto #5 in f, BWV 1056
BARTÓK
Concerto #3 (1945)
BEETHOVEN
Concerto #2 in B-flat, Op. 19
Concerto #3 in c, Op. 37
Concerto #4 in G, Op. 58
Concerto #5 in E-flat, Op. 73 ("Emperor")
Concerto in C, Op. 56 ("Triple")
BERG
Chamber Concerto for Piano, Violin & 13 Wind Instruments
BRAHMS
Concerto #1 in d, Op. 15
Concerto #2 in B-flat, Op. 83
CHOPIN
Concerto #1 in e, Op. 11
Concerto #2 in f, Op. 21
FRANCK
Symphonic Variations
GOETZ, Hermann
Concerto #2 in B-flat, Op. 18 (1867)
GRIEG
Concerto in a, Op. 16
JANÁCEK
Concertino
LISZT
Concerto #1 in E-flat
MENDELSSOHN
Concerto #1 in g, Op. 25
MENTER, Sophie (arr. Tchaikovsky)
Hungarian Gypsy Airs
MOZART
Concerto #12 in A, K. 414
Concerto #17 in G, K. 453
Concerto #20 in d, K. 466
Concerto #21 in C, K. 467
Concerto #24 in c, K. 491
Concerto #25 in C, K. 503
Concerto #27 in B-flat, K. 595
PROKOFIEV
Concerto #2 in g, Op. 16
RACHMANINOFF
Concerto #2 in c, Op. 18
RAVEL
Concerto in G
SAINT-SAËNS
Concerto #2 in g, Op. 22
SCHUMANN, Clara
Concerto in a, Op. 7
SCHUMANN, Robert
Concerto in a, Op. 54
STRAUSS
Burleske in d
| ARENSKY | Piano Trio #1 in d, Op. 32 |
| BARTÓK | Contrasts (clarinet, violin, piano) Sonata for 2 Pianos & Percussion |
| BEACH, A.M.C. | Piano Quintet in f#, Op. 67 |
| BEETHOVEN | Piano Trio #1 in E-flat, Op. 1, #1 Piano Trio #2 in G, Op. 1, #2 Piano Trio #3 in c, Op. 1, #3 Piano Trio #4 in D, Op. 70, #1 (“Ghost”) Piano Trio #5 in E-flat, Op. 70, #2 Piano Trio #6 in B-flat, Op. 97 (“Archduke”) Piano Trio #7 in B-flat, Op. 11 Piano Trio #10 in B-flat, WoO 39 Trio in E-flat for Piano, Clarinet & Cello, Op. 38 Quintet in E-Flat for Piano & Winds, Op. 16 |
| BRAHMS | Clarinet Trio in a, Op. 114 Horn Trio in E-flat, Op. 40 Piano Trio #1 in B, Op. 8 Piano Trio #2 in C, Op. 87 Piano Trio #3 in c, Op. 101 Piano Quartet #1 in g, Op. 25 Piano Quartet #2 in A, Op. 26 Piano Quartet #3 in c, Op. 60 Piano Quintet in f, Op. 34 2 Songs, Op. 91 (voice, viola, piano) |
| BRUCH | 8 Pieces for Clarinet, Viola & Piano, Op. 83 |
| CHAUSSON | Piano Quartet in A, Op. 30 Chanson perpétuelle, Op. 37 (piano, soprano, string quartet) |
| CHOPIN | Piano Trio in g, Op. 8 |
| CLARKE, Rebecca | Piano Trio |
| COPLAND | Sextet for Clarinet, Piano & String Quartet |
| CRUMB | Eleven Echoes of Autumn (piano, violin, alto flute, clarinet) Vox balaenae (electric flute, electric cello, electric piano) |
| DEBUSSY | Piano Trio in G |
| DOHNÁNYI | Piano Quintet #1 in c, Op. 1 Piano Quintet #2 in e-flat, Op. 26 Sextet in C, Op. 37 |
| DVORÁK | Piano Trio #2 in g, Op. 26 Piano Trio #3 in f, Op. 65 Piano Trio #4 in e, Op. 90 (“Dumky”) Piano Quartet in D, Op. 23 Piano Quartet in E-flat, Op. 87 Piano Quintet in A, Op. 81 |
| ELGAR | Piano Quintet in a, Op. 84 |
| FAURÉ | Piano Trio in d, Op. 120 Piano Quartet #1 in c, Op. 15 Piano Quartet #2 in g, Op. 45 Piano Quintet #1 in d, Op. 89 |
| FIBICH | Quintet in D, Op. 42 (piano, violin, cello, clarinet, horn) |
| FRANCK | Piano Quintet in f |
| GLINKA | Trio pathétique in d (clarinet, bassoon, piano) |
| HARBISON | Variations (clarinet, violin, piano) |
| HAYDN | Flute Trio #15 in G, Hob. XV:15 Flute Trio #16 in D, Hob. XV:16 Flute Trio #17 in F, Hob. XV:17 Piano Trio #20 in D, Hob. XV:7 Piano Trio #25 in e, Hob. XV:12 Piano Trio #27 in A-flat, Hob. XV:30 Piano Trio #30 in F, Hob. XV:17 Piano Trio #38 in D, Hob. XV:24 Piano Trio #39 in G, Hob. XV:25 (“Gypsy”) Piano Trio #40 in f#, Hob. XV:26 Piano Trio #41 in e-flat, Hob. XV:31 Piano Trio #43 in C, Hob. XV:27 Piano Trio #44 in E, Hob. XV:28 Piano Trio #45 in E-flat, Hob. XV:29 |
| HINDEMITH | Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello & Piano |
| HUMMEL | Septet in d, Op. 74 |
| IVES | Piano Trio |
| JOLAS, Betsy | Trio (1988) |
| KHACHATURIAN | Trio for Clarinet, Violin & Piano |
| KIRCHNER | Piano Trio #1 (1954) |
| LENNON, John Anthony | Sirens (piano trio) |
| MARTINU | Piano Trio #2 in d |
| MENDELSSOHN | Konzertstück #1 in d, Op. 113 Piano Trio #1 in d, Op. 49 Piano Trio #2 in c, Op. 66 Piano Quartet #2 in f, Op. 2 Piano Quartet #3 in b, Op. 3 |
| MENDELSSOHN-HENSEL | Piano Trio in d, Op. 11 |
| MESSIAEN | Quartet for the End of Time |
| MILHAUD | Piano Trio, Op. 428 (1968) La création du monde (for piano quintet, Op. 81b) |
| MOSZKOWSKI | Suite in g for 2 Violin & Piano, Op. 71 |
| MOZART | Clarinet Trio in E-flat, K. 498 (“Kegelstatt”) Piano Trio #1 in B-flat, K. 254 Piano Trio #2 in G, K. 496 Piano Trio #3 in B-flat, K. 502 Piano Trio #4 in E, K. 542 Piano Trio #5 in C, K. 548 Piano Trio #6 in G, K. 564 Piano Quartet #1 in g, K. 478 Piano Quartet #2 in E-flat, K. 493 Quintet in E-flat for Piano & Winds, K. 452 Piano Concerto #12 in A, K. 414 (as piano quintet) |
| MUCZYNSKI | Fantasy Trio, Op. 26 (clarinet, cello, piano) |
| MUSGRAVE | Pierrot for Violin, Clarinet & Piano |
| PIERNÉ | Piano Trio in c, Op. 45 |
| POULENC | Trio for Oboe, Bassoon & Piano Sextet for Piano & Woodwind Quintet |
| PRIMOSCH | Quintet for Oboe, Violin, Viola, Cello & Piano |
| RABL, Walter | Quartet #1 in E-flat for Clarinet, Violin, Cello & Piano |
| RACHMANINOFF | Trio élégiaque #2 in d, Op. 9 |
| RAVEL | Piano Trio in a |
| REINECKE | Trio in a for Oboe, Horn & Piano, Op. 188 Trio in A for Piano, Clarinet & Viola, Op. 264 |
| SAINT-SAËNS | Piano Trio #1 in F, Op. 18 |
| SCHNABEL, Artur | Piano Trio (1945) |
| SCHOENFIELD | Café Music (piano trio) |
| SCHUBERT | Adagio in E-Flat for Piano Trio, D. 897 (“Notturno”) Adagio and Rondo in F, D. 487 (piano quartet) Auf dem Strom, D. 943 Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, D. 965 Piano Trio #1 in B-flat, Op. 99 Piano Trio #2 in E-flat, Op. 100 Quintet in A for Piano & Strings, D. 667 (“Trout”) |
| SCHUMANN, Clara | Piano Trio in g, Op. 17 |
| SCHUMANN, Robert | Piano Trio #1 in d, Op. 63 Piano Trio #2 in F, Op. 80 Piano Trio #3 in g, Op. 110 Piano Quartet in E-flat, Op. 47 Piano Quintet in E-flat, Op. 44 |
| SHOSTAKOVICH | Piano Trio #2 in e, Op. 67 Piano Quintet in g, Op. 57 |
| SMETANA | Piano Trio in g, Op. 15 |
| STRAUSS | Piano Quartet in c, Op. 13 |
| STRAVINSKY | L’Histoire du soldat |
| SUK | Elegie, Op. 23 (piano trio) |
| TCHAIKOVSKY | Piano Trio in a, Op. 50 |
| THUILLE | Piano Quintet #2 in E-flat, Op. 20 Sextet in B-flat for Piano & Woodwind Quintet, Op. 6 |
| TURINA | Piano Quartet, Op. 67 |
| ZEMLINSKY | Clarinet Trio in d, Op. 3 |
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“DEBUSSY & RAVEL: THE NEW EPOCH” Debussy: Sonata for Cello & Piano Navona Records: NV6463 |
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J.S. BACH French Suite #5 in G, BWV 816 private label CD |
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COMPLETE SCHUBERT SONATAS, Vol. 1 Sonata in a, Op. 42, D. 845 Jonathan Digital Recordings: JDR-1008 |
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COMPLETE SCHUBERT SONATAS, Vol. 2 Sonata in a, Op. 143, D. 784 Jonathan Digital Recordings: JDR-1009 |
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BEETHOVEN 33 VARIATIONS 33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120 Jonathan Digital Recordings: JDR-1006 |
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SONATAS AND PRELUDES Barber: Sonata for Piano, Op. 26 Bridge Records: 9151 |
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COPLAND El salón México (arr. Toscanini) Bridge Records: 9145 |
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BARTÓK - SONATAS FOR VIOLIN & PIANO with Eugene Drucker, violinist Biddulph Recordings: LAW 019 |
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CHARLES TOMLINSON GRIFFES: GODDESS OF THE MOON Sonata for Piano in F |
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DUET Enescu: Sonata #3 in a for Violin & Piano, Op. 25 Stereophile Recordings: STPH 012-2 |
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AMY BEACH AND JOHN CORIGLIANO SONATAS with Curtis Macomber, violinist KOCH International: 3-7223-2H1 |
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ROSA DE FUEGO Aitken: Rhapsody for Piano Composers Recordings Inc.: CRI CD-595 |
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DANIELPOUR: SONNETS TO ORPHEUS with Perspectives Ensemble Sony Classical: SK 60850 |
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DOHNÁNYI: SEXTET IN C with members of the American Symphony Orchestra Bridge Records: 9160 |
Walsh is a performer of great honesty and integrity, a pianist with superb technique that never gets abused for vainglorious displays and which is consistently and effectively applied to the service of great and lesser music alike, [Beethoven’s] Sonata in E Major, Op. 109, one of the sublime masterpieces in all of music, got a performance worthy of its status - lyrical, contemplative, powerful and moving.
THE BOSTON GLOBE
With plenty of Romantic sweep and arching lyricism, unflagging stamina and bravura, Ms. Walsh dispatches the Bartok Sonata with vigor and authority.
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Clara Schumann’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A Minor, under the accomplished fingers of Diane Walsh, was in many ways reminiscent of Chopin in its minimal orchestration, Romanticism, use of the Polonaise dance form, and virtuoso flourishes, some borrowed from Liszt. Her interpretation of the concerto revealed why Clara Schumann was queen in the arena of virtuosi. It is a showpiece and it wowed the audience at Merrill as it must have those in European capitols. The listeners gave it a standing ovation with cheers.
MAINE CLASSICAL BEAT
Between the Brahms and the Schumann, Diane Walsh joined the orchestra as soloist in Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor. It’s a surprisingly mature work, given that she completed it at age 14, and it includes some fascinating innovations–most notably, a central movement for piano and cello alone. It is a lively, sometimes playful work, with a sparkling piano part that offers a glimpse of the technique for which Clara was renowned. Walsh gave it a thoughtful performance, with enough energy to bring its considerable melodic riches and surprising harmonic turns fully to life. And Walsh and cellist William Rounds gave a beautiful account of the duet movement.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD
Women were main attraction at recent PSO concert [deadline]
The second selection was a piano concerto by the 15-year-old Clara Schumann. The soloist was Portland resident Diane Walsh who played with surefire control of dynamics and technical command. The best part of the performance occurred during the 2nd movement when the orchestra stopped playing and a beautiful duet ensured with a solo cello ravishingly played by [Williams Rounds] and Ms. Walsh doing the honors.
JOURNAL TRIBUNE (MAINE)
From Bach to bluesy with pianist Diane Walsh [headline]
Her sound, gestures and coloration suggested that she thinks of the Partita [#4 in D, BWV 828] in orchestral terms, and the most winning aspect of her performance was that she was able to create the illusion of orchestral heft while sacrificing nothing of the transparency that Bach’s counterpoint demands. After the high-flying Bach, it [Bolcom’s Graceful Ghost Rag] was the perfect way to bring listeners down to earth.
MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM (Portland)
Ms. Walsh has already almost all of the attributes of greatness. The power and animation in her playing made a great impression. I particularly admired the range and beauty of her tone.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (London)
Her performances merged a profound comprehension of musical purposes with rare lyric fervor. And to each work, she brought not only a lovely tone and immaculate technique, but a deep sense of personal conviction.
THE WASHINGTON POST
In the Mozart G Major Concerto, K. 453, there were technical acrobatics, pearly fluency, rich variety of touch, cantabile in the quick movements as in the slow middle movement and playful lightness.
OPER UND KONZERT (Munich)
This is the first volume of Schubert’s complete piano sonatas–an impressive challenge for any pianist to undertake. I was won over by the beauty of the playing and the untroubled interpretive smoothness. Walsh spins out the line with great attention to nuance and color, serenely moving, always song-like, and expressive.
AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE
This disc inaugurates an integral (5-CD) cycle of the Schubert piano sonatas, and judging from this first volume, it promises to be an outstanding one. Diane Walsh would seem to be the perfect pianist for this music; she follows the score with the utmost fidelity, and her technical command, beautiful sound, and sensitive phrasing contribute to insightful performances.
FANFARE
Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations are such an iconic cornerstone of the repertoire that it takes guts to go head-to-head with the likes of Brendel or (in his first recording) Stephen Kovacevich. Still, neither of them played the piece on Broadway! Diane Walsh’s recording is almost a disc of the play–Moises Kaufman’s 33 Variations–and a very well-founded account it is, too, strong on long-term structure, and full of fine moments such as Variation 10 which shudders with tremulous delight, and Variation 31, filled with the proximity of Op. 111. (Three Stars)
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
Guest David Neely conducts the Portland Symphony with clarity [headline]
Diane Walsh presented Chopin [Concerto #2] as more of a Classicist than a Romantic, partly by pedaling lightly, and partly by playing the solo line with as a clarity that focused on its rationality rather than on its perfume. Walsh’s reading also had a buoyant, singing quality. For listeners who craved more Romantic virtuosity, Walsh gave a dazzling performance of the Liszt-Paganini La Campanella as an encore.
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD
| 3/4/2025 (7pm) | PORTLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (ME) Eckart Preu, conductor Beethoven: Piano Concerto #4 |
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Schubert: Piano Sonata in a, D. 845 (mvt. I: Moderato) Academy of Arts & Letters (NYC) |
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Debussy: “Reflets dans l'eau” (from Images, Book I) Academy of Arts & Letters (NYC) |