Versatile, Grammy-nominated pianist JOHN NOVACEK regularly tours the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia as solo recitalist, chamber musician and concerto soloist; in the latter capacity he has presented over thirty concerti with dozens of orchestras.

John Novacek’s major American performances have been heard in New York City’s Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ David Geffen and Alice Tully halls, 92nd Street Y, Columbia University’s Miller Theater, Merkin Concert Hall, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Symphony Space, Washington’s The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Center and Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl,  while international venues include Paris’ Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Salle Gaveau and Musée du Louvre, London’s Wigmore Hall and Barbican Centre and Tokyo’s Suntory, Opera City and Bunkamura halls. He is also a frequent guest artist at festivals, here and abroad, including New York City’s Mostly Mozart Festival, California’s Festival Mozaic and those of Aspen, Cape Cod, Caramoor, Chautauqua, Colorado College, Great Lakes, Mendocino, Mimir, Music in the Vineyards, Ravinia, Seattle, SummerFest La Jolla, Wolf Trap, Canada’s Festival of the Sound, Ottawa, Chamberfest, Scotia, SweetWater and Toronto Summer Music, BBC Proms (England), Braunschweig (Germany), Lucerne, Menuhin Gstaad and Verbier (Switzerland), Serenates d’Estiu (Spain), Sorrento (Italy), Stavanger (Norway), Toulouse (France) and Sapporo (Japan). He has also made his debuts with the Orquesta Filarmónica de la Ciudad de México, as well as with the Dayton and Vista philharmonic orchestras, the Anderson, Austin, Duluth Superior, Springfield (MA) and Traverse symphony orchestras, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, National Academy Orchestra of Canada and Symphony Nova Scotia.

Often heard on radio broadcasts worldwide, John Novacek has appeared on NPR’s Performance Today, St. Paul Sunday and, as both featured guest composer/performer, on A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. He was also seen and heard on television, including The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Entertainment Tonight and CNN International. Recently, Mr. Novacek has been prominently featured in discussion and performance on the highly successful PBS/Great Performances series Now Hear This. Hosted by Scott Yoo.

John Novacek is a highly sought-after collaborative artist and has performed with Joshua Bell, Renaud Capuçon, Jeremy Denk, Matt Haimovitz, Leila Josefowicz, Cho-Liang Lin, Yo-Yo Ma, Truls Mørk, Elmar Oliveira and Emmanuel Pahud, and, as well as the Afiara, Colorado, Harrington, Jupiter, New Hollywood, St. Lawrence, SuperNova and Ying string quartets. He also tours widely as a member of the multi-faceted Intersection, a piano trio that includes violinist Kaura Frautschi and cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper. As a tireless advocate for contemporary music, Mr. Novacek has also given numerous world premieres and worked closely with composers John Adams, Kenji Bunch, Gabriela Lena Frank, John Harbison, Jennifer Higdon, George Rochberg, Robert Sierra, John Williams and John Zorn.

John Novacek took top prizes at both the Leschetizky and Joanna Hodges international piano competitions, among many others. He studied piano with Polish virtuoso Jakob Gimpel at California State University, Northridge, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree, summa cum laude. Subsequently, he earned a Master of Music degree from New York City’s Mannes College of Music, studying with Peter Serkin in piano and Felix Galimer and Julius Levine in chamber music. Mr. Novacek’s coaches in composition included Frederick Werle, Aurelio de la Vega and Daniel Kessner.

John Novacek’s original compositions have been widely performed and frequently recorded by major international soloists and ensembles. Commissioning entities include: New York Philharmonic, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Fresno Ballet, Accordo/Schubert Club (film score), Fuji TV, Seattle Commissioning Club, Scotia Festival, Eastman School of Music, McGill University, West Texas A&M University, The 5 Browns, Concertante, Ensemble Liaison, Millennium, Manasse/Nakamatsu Duo, Harrington String Quartet, Ying Quartet, Quattro Mani. He has also prepared special arrangements for The Three Tenors, Boosey & Hawkes, EMI, Atlantic Records, John Williams, Lalo Schifrin, Kiri Te Kanawa and pop diva Diana Ross.

John Novacek has recorded over 35 CDs, encompassing solo and chamber music by most major composers from Bach to Bartók, as well as many contemporary and original scores. Mr. Novacek records for Philips, Naxos, Nonesuch, Arabesque, Warner Classics, Sony/BMG, IBS Classical, Koch International, New World, Universal Classics, Ambassador, Arkay, Azica, EMI Classics, Four Winds, Pony Canyon and Virtuoso. CD titles include Road Movies (2004 GRAMMY nomination as “Best Chamber Music Performance”), Great Mozart Piano Works, Spanish Rhapsody, Novarags (original ragtime compositions), Classic Romance, Hungarian Sketches, Intersection, Romances et Meditations and, with Leila Josefowicz, Americana (GRAMOPHONE: “Editor’s Choice”), For the End of Time, Shostakovich and Recital (BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE: 5 stars/June 2005's chamber choice). 2020 saw the IBS Classical releases of Chausson’s Concert in D for Violin, Piano & String Quartet and an album of viola sonatas by Glinka, Hindemith and Schubert with Randolph Kelly.

In 2022, John Novacek was appointment to the Piano and Collaborative Piano faculty of The Mannes School of Music at The New School’s College of Performing Arts in New York City.

John Novacek is a Steinway Artist.

[CHAMBER ENSEMBLE REPERTOIRE FOLLOWS CONCERTO LIST]

BACH, J.S.

Concerto #1 in d, BWV 1052

BARBER

Concerto, Op. 38

BARTÓK

Concerto for 2 Pianos

BEACH, Amy

Concerto in c#, Op. 45

BEETHOVEN

Concerto #1 in C, Op. 15
Concerto #3 in c, Op. 37
Concerto #4 in G, Op. 58
Concerto #5 in E-flat, Op. 73 ("Emperor")
Fantasia in c, Op. 80 ("Choral Fantasy")

BERG

Chamber Concerto for Piano, Violin & 13 Wind Instruments

BRAHMS

Concerto #1 in d, Op. 15
Concerto #2 in B-flat, Op. 83

CHOPIN

Andante Spianato & Grande Polonaise, Op. 22
Concerto #2 in f, Op. 21

DAUGHERTY, M.

Le Tombeau de Liberace

FALLA

Nights in the Gardens of Spain

GERSHWIN

Concerto in F
Rhapsody in Blue
Second Rhapsody
Variations on I Got Rhythm

GOULD

Interplay (1943)

GRIEG

Concerto in a, Op. 16

HARRISON, L.

Suite for Violin, Piano & Small Orchestra

LISZT

Concerto #1 in E-flat
Totentanz

LISZT-BUSONI

Rhapsodie espagnole

MENDELSSOHN

Concerto #1 in g, Op. 25
Concerto in d for Violin & Piano

MENOTTI

Concerto in F (1945)

MOZART

Concerto #12 in A, K. 414
Concerto #13 in C, K. 415
Concerto #15 in B-flat, K. 450
Concerto #17 in G, K. 453
Concerto #20 in d, K. 466
Concerto #21 in C, K. 467
Concerto #23 in A, K. 488
Concerto #24 in c, K. 491

POULENC

Concerto in d for 2 Pianos (1932)

PROKOFIEV

Concerto #3 in C, Op. 26

RACHMANINOFF

Concerto #1 in f#, Op. 1 (rev. 1917)
Concerto #2 in c, Op. 18
Concerto #3 in d, Op. 30
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43

RAVEL

Concerto in G

SAINT-SAËNS

Carnival of the Animals

SCHUMANN

Concerto in a, Op. 54

SHOSTAKOVICH

Concerto #1 in c, Op. 35

TCHAIKOVSKY

Concerto #1 in b-flat, Op. 23

 

BARTÓK	Contrasts (clarinet, violin, piano) Sonata for 2 Pianos & Percussion
BEACH, A.M.C.	Piano Trio in a, Op. 150 Piano Quintet in f#, Op. 67
BEETHOVEN	Piano Trio #1 in E-flat, Op. 1, #1 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 #9 in G, Op. 121a (“Kakadu”) Piano Trio #10 in B-flat, WoO 39 Quintet in E-Flat for Piano & Winds, Op. 16
BERMEL	Death with Interruptions (piano trio)
BERNSTEIN	Piano Trio
BONIS, Mélanie Helene	Piano Quartet #1 in B-flat, Op. 69
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)
BRIDGE	Phantasie Piano Quartet in f-sharp
BRUCH	Piano Quintet in g 8 Pieces for Clarinet, Viola & Piano, Op. 83
CAPLET	Quintet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon & Piano
CHAUSSON	Concert in D for Violin, Piano & String Quartet, Op. 21 Piano Trio in g, Op. 3
CONNESSON	Sextet (1998)
COPLAND	Appalachian Spring (13 instrument version) Sextet for Clarinet, Piano & String Quartet Vitebsk (piano trio)
CRUMB	Music for a Summer Evening (Makrokosmos III)
DALBAVIE	Piano Quartet (2012)
DALLAPICCOLA	Musica per tre pianoforti
DEBUSSY	Piano Trio in G
DEBUSSY/Beamish	La Mer (piano trio)
DOHNÁNYI	Piano Quintet #1 in c, Op. 1 Sextet in C, Op. 37
DOUGLAS	Quartet for Flute, Oboe, Bassoon & Piano
DRING	Trio for Flute, Oboe & Piano
DURUFLÉ	Prélude, récitatif et variations, Op. 3 (flute, viola, piano)
DVORÁK	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 #2 in A, Op. 81
ELGAR	Piano Quintet in a, Op. 84
ESMAIL, Reena	Piano Trio (2019)
FARRENC	Piano Quintet #1 in a, Op. 30
FAURÉ	Piano Trio in d, Op. 120 Piano Quartet #1 in c, Op. 15 Piano Quintet #2 in c, Op. 115
FRANÇAIX	Trio for Clarinet, Viola & Piano
FRANCK	Piano Quintet in f
FRIML	Piano Trio
GLASS	Piano Quintet “Annunciation”
GOUNOD	Hymne à Sainte Cécile (violin, piano, organ)
HAHN	Piano Quintet in f-sharp
HARRISON	Varied Trio (violin, piano, percussion)
HAYDN	Piano Trio #28 in D, Hob. XV:16 Piano Trio #39 in G, Hob. XV:25 (“Gypsy”) Piano Trio #43 in C, Hob. XV:27 Piano Trio #45 in E-flat, Hob. XV:29
HIGDON	Dash (flute, clarinet, piano) Summer Shimmers for Piano & Wind Quintet Zaka (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion)
JACOB	Trio (clarinet, viola, piano)
KAHN	Serenade, Op. 73 (oboe, horn, piano)
KAPUSTIN, Nikolai	Trio, Op. 86 (flute, cello, piano)
KHACHATURIAN	Trio for Clarinet, Violin & Piano
KORNGOLD	Piano Quintet in E, Op. 15 Suite for Piano Left-Hand & Strings, Op. 23
LARSEN, Libby	Four on the Floor (violin, cello, bass, piano)
LAVIGNAC	Galop-marche (1 piano/8 hands)
LIEBERMANN	Fantasy on a Fugue by J.S. Bach, Op. 27 (piano/wind quintet)
MacMILLAN	Piano Quartet
MAHLER	Piano Quartet
MARTINU	Quartet for Oboe & Piano Trio La Revue de Cuisine (clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, violin, cello, piano)
MENDELSSOHN	Piano Trio #1 in d, Op. 49 Piano Trio #2 in c, Op. 66 Piano Quartet #3 in b, Op. 3
MENOTTI	Suite for 2 Cellos & Piano Trio for Clarinet, Violin & Piano
MESSIAEN	Quartet for the End of Time
MILHAUD	La création du monde (for piano quintet, Op. 81b) Suite for Violin, Clarinet & Piano, Op. 157b
MOSZKOWSKI	Suite for 2 Violins & Piano, Op. 71
MOZART	Piano Trio #5 in C, K. 548 Piano Quartet #1 in g, K. 478 Piano Quartet #2 in E-flat, K. 493 Piano Quartet in E-flat, K. 452 (piano & strings) Quintet in E-flat for Piano & Winds, K. 452
MUCZYNSKI	Fantasy Trio, Op. 26 (clarinet, cello, piano)
MUSGRAVE	Trio for Flute, Oboe & Piano
NOVACEK	Barcarolle (piano trio) Foster Fantasy (piano trio) Intoxication (piano trio) Reflections on Shenandoah (5 pianos) Trio Marlenita (clarinet, cello, piano) Variations on Danny Boy (piano quartet)
PIAZZOLLA	Las cuatro estaciones porteñas (piano trio)
POULENC	Trio for Oboe, Bassoon & Piano Sextet for Piano & Woodwind Quintet
PREVIN	Trio for Oboe, Bassoon & Piano
QUANTZ	Trio Sonata in c, QV 2:Anh.5 (flute, oboe, continuo)
RACHMANINOFF	Trio élégiaque #1 in g
RAVEL	Chansons madécasses (soprano, flute, cello, piano) Piano Trio in a
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV	Quintet in B-flat for Piano & Winds
ROTA, Nino	Clarinet Trio (1973)
SAINT-SAËNS	Romance, Op. 27 (violin, piano, harmonium)
SCHMITT, Florent	Á tour d’Anches, Op. 97 (wind trio & Piano)
SCHNITTKE	Piano Quintet
SCHOENBERG/WEBERN	Chamber Symphony #1
SCHOENFIELD, Paul	Café Music (piano trio) Sonatina (flute, clarinet, piano)
SCHUBERT	Adagio in E-Flat for Piano Trio, D. 897 (“Notturno”) Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, D. 965 Piano Trio #1 in B-flat, D. 898 Piano Trio #2 in E-flat, D. 929 Quintet in A for Piano & Strings, D. 667 (“Trout”) Sonata in B-Flat for Piano Trio, D. 28
SCHUMANN, Clara	Piano Trio in g, Op. 17
SCHUMANN, Robert	Märchenerzählungen, Op. 132 (clarinet, viola, piano) Piano Trio #2 in F, Op. 80 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 3 Duets for 2 Violins & Piano 5 Pieces for 2 Violins & Piano 7 Romances on Poems by Alexander Blok, Op. 127 (soprano, piano trio)
SIBELIUS	Piano Quintet in g
SIMON, Carlos	be still and know (piano trio)
SMETANA	Piano Trio in g, Op. 15
SOHY, Charlotte	Piano Trio, Op. 24
STILL, William Grant	Vignettes
STRAVINSKY	L’Histoire du soldat
SVIRIDOV	Piano Trio in a, Op. 6
TANEYEV	Piano Quintet #2 in g, Op. 30
TCHAIKOVSKY	Piano Trio in a, Op. 50
TURINA	Piano Trio #2 in b, Op. 76 Piano Quintet in g, Op. 1 Scene andalouse (viola, piano, string quartet)
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS	Piano Quintet in c Quintet in D for Clarinet, Horn, Violin, Cello & Piano
ZIMMERLI	Latin Suite (piano trio, optional percussion) Piano Trio #1 Piano Trio #2
ZWILICH	Quintet for Violin, Viola Cello, Contrabass & Piano

	“VIOLA SONATAS” Hindemith: Sonata in F for Viola & Piano, Op. 11, #4 Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata, D. 821 Glinka: Sonata for Viola & Piano with Randolph Kelly, violist IBS CLASSICAL: IBS122020
	ERNEST CHAUSSON Concert in D for Violin, Piano & String Quartet, Op. 21 with Simón Gollo, violinist John Novacek, pianist Benjamin Sung, violinist Ingrid Gerling, violinist Randolph Kelly, violist Maki Kubota, cellist Chanson perpétuelle, Op. 37 with Mariola Cantarero, soprano IBS CLASSICAL: IBS62020
	"GREAT MOZART PIANO WORKS" 12 Variations on Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman, K. 265 Rondo in a, K. 511 Sonata #9 in D, K. 311 Fantasy in d, K. 397 Sonata #14 in c, K. 457 FOUR WINDS: FW 3013
	"SPANISH RHAPSODY" Liszt: Rhapsodie espagnole Soler: Fandango Ginastera: Danzas argentinas Granados: Quejas o la maja y el ruiseñor Ravel: Alborado del gracioso Novacek: Improvisation on Estrellita (Ponce) Albéniz: Asturias, Sevilla, Tango AMBASSADOR: ARC 1014
	"NOVARAGS" Rags by: John Novacek, Eubie Blake, James P. Johnson, Scott Joplin, Joseph Lamb, Luckey Roberts, James Scott with Steven Novacek, guitarist AMBASSADOR: ARC 1008
	"RELAXATION" Saint-Saëns/Siloti: The Swan Mascagni/Novacek: Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana Mozart/Novacek: Eine kleine Nachtmusik (mvt. II) Barber/Novacek: Adagio for Strings Verdi/Novacek: Va! Pensiero from Nabucco Puccini/Novacek: E lucevan le stelle from Tosca Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves Brahms/Singer: Symphony #3 (mvt. III) J.S. Bach/Hess: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring Pachelbel/Schultz/Iacovone: Canon Novacek: Melancholy Drag PONY CANYON: PCCL-00528
	"CLASSIC ROMANCE II" Debussy: Clair de lune Granados: Spanish Dance #2 Chopin: Waltz in c-sharp, Op. 64, #2 Beethoven: Für Elise Mendelssohn: Song Without Words, Op. 62, #1 Chopin: Nocturne in f-sharp, Op. 48, #2 Schubert: Impromptu in G-flat Ravel: Jeux d’eau Rameau: Gavotte and Six Doubles Schubert/Liszt: Serenade Verdi/Liszt: Rigoletto Paraphrase Scriabin: Prelude for the Left Hand Alone, Op. 9, #1 Chopin: Ballade #1 in g, Op. 23 FOUR WINDS: FW 30006
	"LAST KISS" Liszt: Liebestraum #3 Rachmaninoff: Prelude in G, Op. 32, #5 Debussy: Prelude from Suite bergamasque Beethoven: Adagio cantabile from Pathetique Sonata Fauré: Barcarolle in a, Op. 26 Chopin: Fantaisie-Impromptu, Op. 66 Grieg: Arietta, Op. 12, #1 Debussy: Snow is Dancing J.S. Bach: Sarabande and Double from English Suite #6 in d Mendelssohn: Etude in b-flat, Op. 104, #1 Grieg: Melody, Op. 47, #3 Satie: Gymnopedie #1 Chopin: Etude in c, Op. 10, #12 Brahms: Intermezzo in E-flat, Op. 117, #1 Chopin: Waltz in a, Op. 34, #2 FOUR WINDS: FW 3016
	JENNIFER HIGDON: Summer Shimmers with Susan Glaser, flutist Todd Palmer, clarinetist The Lark Quartet KOCH: KIC-CD-7738
	JOHN ADAMS: Road Movies Leila Josefowicz, violinist John Novacek, pianist NONESUCH: 79699-2
	PATRICK ZIMMERLI: Piano Trios Scott Yoo, violinist Michael Mermagen, cellist John Novacek, pianist ARABESQUE RECORDINGS: Z6785
	"FOR THE END OF TIME" Falla: Suite populaire espagnole Messiaen: Quatour pour la fin du temps Grieg: Sonata #3 in c, Op. 45 Bartók: Sonata #1 Leila Josefowicz, violinist John Novacek, pianist PHILIPS: 289 456 571-2
	"AMERICANA" Novacek: 4 Rags Chaplin/Ogermann: Smile Vieuxtemps: Souvenier d’Amérique, on Yankee Doodle Joplin/Perlman: The Ragtime Dance Ponce/Heifetz: Estrellita Gershwin/Dushkin: Short Story Gershwin/Heifetz: 3 Preludes Joplin/Perlman: The Easy Winners arr. Heifetz: Deep River Foster/Heifetz: Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair Foster/Heifetz: Old Folks at Home Gershwin/Heifetz: Porgy and Bess Suite Leila Josefowicz, violinist John Novacek, pianist PHILIPS: 289 462 948-2
	Messiaen: Theme and Variations Ravel: Sonata in G Grey: San Andreas Suite (for solo violin) Salonen: Lachen Verlernt (for solo violin) Beethoven: Sonata #10 in G, Op. 96 Brahms: Scherzo in c Leila Josefowicz, violinist John Novacek, pianist WARNER CLASSICS: 2564 61948-2
	DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH Violin Concerto #1 in a, Op. 99 Leila Josefowicz, violinist Sakari Oramo/City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Violin Sonata, Op. 134 Leila Josefowicz, violinist John Novacek, pianist WARNER CLASSICS: 2564 62997-2
	BROWNS IN BLUE includes: Novacek: Reflections on Shenandoah The 5 Browns RCA RED SEAL: 88697-11322-2
	NO BOUNDARIES includes: Novacek: Full Stride Ahead (Rag) The 5 Browns RCA RED SEAL: 82876-78719-2
	GEORGE ANTHEIL: Sonatas for Violin & Piano Mark Fewer, violinist John Novacek, pianist AZICA: ACD-71263

John Novacek made his debut as soloist in the Brahms Second and took 1785 concertgoers on a wild, exciting ride. Notorious for its difficulty, both for pianist and orchestra, the concerto posed no problems for Novacek. By turns pummeling and caressing the keyboard, he entered into the lengthy discussion between piano and orchestra with ferocious good humor and infectious excitement. Novacek earned the lengthy standing ovation that rewarded his performance - he had grappled with a worthy opponent and proved himself its master. He had entered fully into Brahms’s experience of life itself and acted as a lens for its expression, ably aided and abetted by [Kevin] Rhodes and his SSO colleagues.

THE REPUBLICAN  (Springfield, MA)

Springfield Symphony Orchestra launches 76th season [headline]
Pianist John Novacek made his second appearance with the SSO as soloist in Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp. Novacek tore into the grand gestures and fusillades of passagework in the concert’s outer movements with dexterity and gusto. He wove filmy, dreamlike textures in the slow movement, engaging in languid romantic dialogs with the strings and a lovely, brief duet with the first bassoon. Novacek rewarded the audience’s appreciation with an encore of his own composition - a rag entitled Intoxication. Played at blinding speed and shot through with clever stride syncopations, the piece was thoroughly intoxicating, and indeed, as dazzling as the Concerto.

THE REPUBLICAN (Springfield, MA)

John Novacek juxtaposes some very serious Mozart with his lighter side. He approaches all of this music with consummate control and grace and a tonal luminosity that serves the composer well. A fine recital, enhanced by excellent sonics.

AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE

Novacek’s contributions cannot be exaggerated. His partnering [with violinist Leila Josefowicz] is at once brilliant and unobtrusive; without slighting any musical values, he underplays handsomely while accomplishing technical feats many pianists can’t even consider: varieties of touch, a huge dynamic range, nuances of statement and the bold use of all his pianistic resources within the parameters imposed by the genre.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

In terms of repertoire, performance and production values, this is a fine release. Novacek possesses a virile, steely technique that matches this material splendidly. Novacek’s style is athletic, but he is certainly capable of poetic playing when it is called for. In short, here is a splendid recital from a pianist well worth keeping an ear open for in the future.

FANFARE

John Novacek performed Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3. Novacek’s marvelous touch was evident from the start, his flawless legato singing through the piano’s opening theme. A superb technique is required for this most difficult of the Rachmaninov concerti and Novacek displayed his fully along with his unfailing musicality, moving with ease through the concerto’s difficult passage work as well as its simpler themes.

SAN BERNARDINO SUN

[Elliott Carter’s] Sonata was written just before he began writing five decades of the most conceptually and technically challenging repertoire that any major composer has ever put before the public. Expertly performed by pianist John Novacek, the Sonata is a glorious work, though by no means easy listening. It would make a good entry point into Carter’s musical universe.

THE OTTAWA CITIZEN

More than half the 23 rags on ‘Novarags’ are John Novacek’s original compositions or arrangements; at his best, he rivals some of William Bolcom’s superb contributions to this literature. Both the performances and the audio quality are excellent. There’s quite an emotional spectrum here, too, from the wildly irrepressible to the thoughtful and nostalgic, and that toe-tapping impulse you’ll always fine in good ragtime.

THE SEATTLE TIMES

There is hardly a more athletic concerto than the [Prokofiev] Third and that’s saying something. Novacek laid into the keys with a touch of radioactivity, and drove the Scotia Festival Orchestra with furious intensity, playing the syncopated chords in the second movement like a jazz pianist, triggering them off just that split second early that threatens to crack the firmament - and twisting them with gut-wrenching body language to boot.

THE CHRONICLE HERALD (Halifax)

The performance on this CD by violinist Mark Fewer and pianist John Novacek is first rate. Both artists convey the versatility, intensity and dynamism inherent in Antheil’s eclectic style. Fewer and Novacek switch effortlessly from the primal pounding rhythms inspired by Stravinsky, which obviously require much stamina, to the pastiche of ragtime, vaudeville, tango, tin pan alley, fox trot and jazz. With incisive and well-muscled playing, they captivate the difficult effects required in Antheil’s compositions. The range of both instruments are pushed to the limit—hand clusters and glissandi on the piano, and unconventional sound effects, including arpeggiated chords played percussively behind the bridge and non-pitched scratches from the violin. For sheer virtuosity and panache, this recording is a towering achievement.

CHAMBER MUSIC TODAY

Saturday’s concert offered another world premiere, John Novacek’s cello sonata called Sounding Piece. Novacek’s last movement is unusually quiet, as though [the composer] mistrusted the easy thrill of ending with a bang. Novacek’s 35-minute piece with a hectic, assertive cluster of jazzy elements was played with brio by the composer and cellist Michelle Djokic. The stinging dissonances were refreshing, and the hymn-like final movement left in its wake a shared silence as beautiful as any music.

THE TRIBUNE (San Luis Obispo, CA)

A triumphant opening for Mimir Chamber Music Festival
The Mimir Chamber Music Festival pretty reliably warrants a place in The News’ list of the year’s top 10 classical concerts. Thursday night’s all-Beethoven program has to be a shoo-in for 2012. Novacek didn’t let a note go by on auto-pilot. The piano darted in and out of the ensemble, rose in passion and receded in deference, all to apt effect. There was plenty of playfulness, yet authority where called for.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

A compelling duo runs the gamut from Schumann to Adams [headline]
The duo carried off this London recital with huge panache and professional energy. Theirs has become a seasoned and secure musical partnership; their ways of working together are now completely attuned. [Leila Josefowicz] has the freedom to be impulsive, explosive, coquettish, to go anywhere. [John Novacek] can support, change the backdrop, challenge and provoke her. It was a compelling performance from first note to last.

THE ARTS DESK (London, UK)

This recording [Chausson Concert in D for Violin, Piano & String Quartet] is from now on the new reference point, along with Perlman, Bolet and the Juilliard.

SCHERZO Magazine

9/14/2024 (7:30pm)	PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL (Canada) St. Mary Magdelene Anglican Church (Picton, ON) with Mark Fewer, violinist Joseph Phillips, bassist Suba Sankaran, vocalist
9/21/2024 (7:30pm)	WIGMORE HALL (London, UK) Debussy: Violin Sonata Szymanowski: 3 Mythes Tüür: Conversio Stravinsky: Divertimento with Leila Josefowicz, violinist
10/10/2024 (1:30pm)	MUSIC AT OAKMONT (Santa Rosa, CA) Berger Center Auditorium Brahms: Piano Quintet with Alexander String Quartet
10/11/2024 (7:30pm)	PHILIP LORENZ INTERNATIONAL KEYBOARD CONCERTS Concert Hall, California State University, Fresno Brahms: Piano Quintet with Alexander String Quartet
10/18/2024 (5:30pm)	FESTIVAL MOZAIC (San Luis Obispo, CA) Experimental Theater, Harold J. Miossi CPAC, Cuesta College “Notable Insight: Romantic Generation”
10/19/2024 (2pm)	FESTIVAL MOZAIC (San Luis Obispo, CA) Patty Boyd Concert Hall, Allan Hancock College Schumann: Kreisleriana Bartók: Piano Sonata J.S. Bach: Italian Concerto Liszt: Liebestraum #3 Liszt: Rhapsodie espagnole
10/20/2024 (2&5pm)	FESTIVAL MOZAIC (San Luis Obispo, CA) Libretto Jazz Club
11/2/2024 (5pm)	ROCO (Houston, TX) JoAnn Falletta, conductor The Church of St. John the Divine Novacek: Three Rags for Two Violins (world premiere) soloists: Scott St. John Brian Lewis
1/12/2025 (3pm)	NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC Merkin Hall, Kaufman Music Center (NYC) Turina: Piano Trio #2 with Sheryl Staples, violinist Matthew Christakos, cellist
3/8/2025 (7:30pm)	SAN LUIS OBISPO SYMPHONY (CA) Andrew Sewell, conductor Harold Miossi Hall, Performing Arts Center Brahms: Piano Concerto #2
4/25/2025 (7:30pm)	WISCONSIN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (Madison) Andrew Sewell, conductor Capitol Theater, Overture Center for the Arts Brahms: Piano Concerto #1
5/4/2025	CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF BETHLEHEM (PA) with Intersection Laura Frautschi, violinist Kristina Reiko Cooper, cellist
6/6-19/2025	COLORADO COLLEGE SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL Packard Hall (Colorado Springs)
6/20-29/2025	ST. LAWRENCE CHAMBER MUSIC SEMINAR Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA)
6/30-7/12/2025	MIMIR CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL (Fort Worth, TX)
7/14-26/2025	FESTIVAL MOZAIC (San Luis Obispo, CA) Harold J. Miossi Cultural & Performing Arts Center, Cuesta College
7/27-8/8/2025 8/11/-17/2025	SPIRIT ‘20 (Canada) MUSIC IN THE VINEYARDS (CA)
9/1-7/2025	MIMIR CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL (Australia) Hanson Dyer Hall, Ian Potter Southbank Centre (Melbourne)
3/12/2026	CARNEGIE HALL (NYC) Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall with Kristin Lee, violinist