The 6 Most Famous Female Pianists
Girls just wanna have fun, but they get pretty serious about the piano. This article gives insight into six of the greatest female pianists.
Like in many other fields, women have not always been given equal opportunities in the music industry. Many have experienced discrimination. Many had their talents dismissed.
And yet, some diamonds made their way to the top. Their talent was just too great, and their determination was unstoppable.
Keep reading to dive into the stories of six of the most famous and influential female pianists.
1. Hiromi
This Japanese powerhouse has taken the world by storm. Her music is a unique fusion of jazz, classical, progressive rock, stride, and post-bop.
She was born Hiromi Uehara in Shizuoka, Japan, in 1979 and started learning piano at six. By the age of eight, she had already started learning jazz.
She has learned from and played with some of the greatest musicians of all time, including an impromptu performance with Chick Korea and mentoring at Berklee College of Music with Ahmad Jamal.
She signed with the label Telarc before her graduation.
Her most influential album was her first, “Another Mind,” which she released in 2003. She has since recorded many trio albums with fellow Berklee graduate Tony Grey and other highly respected musicians, Anthony Jackson and Martin Valihora.
Hiromi is married to Japanese fashion designer Mihara Yasuhiro and continues to pave her path as a leading female musician in the world today.
2. Nina Simone
Nina Simone is a piano player, singer, and civil rights activist. Her legacy is enormous and left her crowned with the title “High Priestess of Soul.” But this wasn’t always her name – neither was Nina Simone.
She was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in 1933 out in North Carolina. Her journey began in Classical Music, meticulously learning the works of the greats such as J.S Bach and other Famous Piano Composers.
Simone then ventured into singing, composition, and arrangement with the immaculate technique, and her piano playing evolved into her new style.
In her 16 years, she recorded over 40 albums, all of which encompass her unique blend of sounds from gospel, Jazz, and pop music.
She was a strong voice for the rights of black Americans, and many of her songs became the soundtrack to their movement, such as “Brown Baby” and “Zungo.”
She is revered for her incredible taste, always playing just the right notes with perfect sensitivity.
Nina passed away in her sleep in 2003 after years of battling breast cancer in her home in France.
3. Myra Hess
Let’s back it up – like, way up. Between the years 1890 and 1965 lived Dame Myra Hess. She was born to a Jewish family in South Hampstead, London, and went on to be a pianist who brought music to people in times of need.
Myra was a child prodigy, the youngest of four children, and was granted a scholarship to London’s Royal Academy at 12. She debuted at 17 with conductor Sir Thomas Beecham, but her real fame came during World War 2.
Concert halls were blocked out at night for fear of being targeted by the Germans. So Hess organized lunchtime performances – over 2000 — at the National Gallery in London. She performed over 150 concerts for free, while the other promising young performers were always paid adequately. Over 820,000 people attended these concerts, desperately seeking to have their spirits lifted from the harsh realities of war.
In 1941, King Georgie the 6th awarded her the title Dame for her extraordinary contribution to British society during these dark years. Hess was most renowned for her interpretations of the works of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann but had a wide repertoire, ranging from Domenico Scarlatti to contemporary works.
4. Domi
You may not have heard of Domi. The 21-year-old piano prodigy has already shown crazy talent and wild potential.
Born in Metz, France, Domi has been playing instruments since three. Her time in the traditional education system ended with one week of kindergarten – she was quickly transferred to the Nancy Conservatory.
This alternative school nurtured her unique talent and creativity. She started to spread through her YouTube channel, but not because of funny gimmicks or internet hype. She has contagious, pure talent.
Aside from some famous collaborations, Domi performs primarily with JD Beck as a duo, combining improvisation with intricately crafted melodies and a percussive piano.
5. Mary Lou Williams
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1910, Mary Lou Williams was an early bloomer in her career. At 25, she made a name for herself with Andy Kirk and a Kansas City big band named “His Clours of Joy.” And yet, she was always under-appreciated and never had enough self-confidence.
Her talent began to shine through during her big band career, but it took time until her gifts were truly acknowledged. Most of the time, she would take her compositional and arrangement ideas to the band leader, Andy Kirk.
Many others in the music industry sought Williams’ guidance and insight, including Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Louis Armstrong. She spread her light in so many places, from Chicago to New York to Pittsburgh, and she was also a teacher and friend to greats such as Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and many others.
She was a big soul with a lot of love to give. Her fascinating life included a three-year period where she stopped playing music, converted to Catholicism, and opened her home to the poor and needy in New York. When she returned to music in the 70s, it was with a bang. Her career flourished and blossomed until she died in 1981.
6. Martha Argerich
Time and again, Martha Argerich has been named the most influential of The Very Best Women Pianists of all time.
She was born in 1941 in Buenos Aries to a father of Spanish descent and a mother of Jewish descent. From age three, she demonstrated extraordinary ability, and her parents took her talent very seriously. She studied with some of the greatest teachers in Argentina and Austria, where her family eventually moved.
Her big debut was at the age of eight, her first commercial record at 19, the first big prize at the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw at 24, and the list continues! Since the 1980s, she has moved away from solo concerts and focused chiefly on concertos and chamber music.
She married twice, both to musicians, and has three daughters, each from a different father. Her parenting style is unconventional and bohemian. She would often prefer her children to stay home and jam with other musicians rather than go to school.
Argerich always had a way with the youngsters. Over the years, she has taken it upon herself to provide a stage for young rising stars, including:
And yet, she was always insistent on remaining out of the press and the spotlight as much as possible. For Argerich, it is all about the music, in its pure and spiritually uplifting nature. This inspiring woman is now an 80-year-old virtuoso who still plays enormous concerts with vibrant and youthful energy.
Female pianists are on the rise.
Thankfully, we see more female pianists paving their way through a highly male-dominated industry. The gates are open with huge icons like Joni Mitchell and Ariana Grande claiming their independence and power as female artists. The female spirit spreads like flames through the hearts and souls of all it reaches.
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