MISHA AND CIPA DICHTER

Biography

    Pianists Misha and Cipa Dichter, who met at The Juilliard School as students of the legendary Rosina Lhevinne, made their first joint appearance at the Hollywood Bowl in 1972, four years after their marriage.  Since then, the Dichters have performed in recital and with major orchestras throughout the world.  They have brought to the concert stage many previously neglected works of the two-piano and piano-four-hand repertoires and gave the world premiere of Robert Starer's Concerto for Two Pianos in 1996.

    Misha and Cipa Dichter's North American engagements have included recitals in all of the major cities in the United States and Canada, as well as appearances with the symphonies of Chicago, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.  Abroad, they have performed in the music capitals of France, Germany, Holland, Spain, Switzerland, and Zurich.

    In addition to annual performances at the Aspen Music Festival for the past three decades, the Dichters perform regularly at many other leading summer festivals, including Mostly Mozart, Ravinia, the Hollywood Bowl, Caramoor, and the Mann Center.

    The Dichters’ first recording—a three-CD album of the complete piano works for four hands by Mozart plus four-hand arrangements by Busoni and Grieg—is now available from Musical Heritage Society.  American Record Guide called the recording “an unmitigated delight,” and the Washington Post commented that the music on the Mozart album is “Witty, melodious and superbly polished.  So is the Dichters’ performance.”  Most recently, Music Web International selected the recording as one of its “Recordings of the Year” for 2005.

    The Dichters live in New York City. They have two sons and two grandsons.