ABOUT ME

"he brought his talents to the keyboard in his own...inspired high-energy blend"
- The Philadelphia Inquirer



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John Franek (b.1996) is a pianist and composer whose compositions “evoke an epic narrative.” (Sonograma Magazine)

John has had premiere performances of his compositions performed throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia, with notable premieres in locations such as New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Vienna, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Milan, Rome, St. Petersburg, Lviv, Havana, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, amongst others.  Ensembles which have performed John’s music include the Sofia Philharmonic, Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra, Moravian Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Improvisers Orchestra, KLK Contemporary Ensemble, the Brightwork Ensemble, the Lontano Ensemble, Trio Immersio, Syntax Ensemble, Hub New Music, Unassisted Fold, Quartet Contemporaine and TACETi ensemble.  His music has been featured in the St. Petersburg International New Music Festival and Grachtenfestival Amsterdam.

John has taken part in some of the worlds most prestigious festivals for Music Composition including the highSCORE Festival, Sofia Symphonic Summit, Impulse New Music Festival, the ICEBERG Institute, the International Composer's Institute Thailand, reMusik, Alba New Music Festival, New Hong Kong Philharmonia Composer's Retreat.

As an active performer, recording artist and electronic music composer, John's output hosts a collection of acoustic and electroacoustic albums featured on the labels Navona Records, Da Vinci Classics, Edition Wandelweiser and Donemus Composer's Voice, among others.

As a sought after soloist, John has performed on three continents including concert tours throughout the United States.  An avid researcher and performer of Mozart, he began touring his “Franek & Mozart” lecture-concert in 2018 and is currently working on a book about Mozart for popular audiences.  His solo album Purely Mozart demonstrates his particular love of Mozart:  “John Franek's affinity for Mozart is evinced in his brilliant, subtly-shaded playing which brings forth the composer's work in all of its multivalent sparkle and darkness.”  (Scott Hawkinson, Double V Digital Recordings)

John has benefited from the private composition and piano instruction of Silvina Milstein, Edward Nesbit, Phyllis Lehrer and Jay Kawarsky.  Through his participation in a unique Level II Master’s program at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatorio in Milan he underwent private instruction from the world class composers Klaus Lang, Marco Stroppa, George Benjamin, Unsuk Chin and Alberto Posadas.

John is a Navona Records Recording Artist and maintains and active role as an educator and masterclass artist.  John's works are published by Donemus Publishing.