Toradze Aleksandre

Toradze, Aleksandre (Lekso) (May 30, 1952, Tbilisi – May 11, 2022, South Bend, Indiana, USA), musician, pianist. Alexander Toradze entered Tbilisi's central music school at six and first played with orchestra at nine. He continued his studies at the Moscow Conservatory under Yakov Zak, Boris Zemliansky, and Lev Naumov, graduating in 1978. His repertoire encompasses works of various styles. He achieved recognition through his performances of works by W. A. Mozart, F. Liszt, S. Prokofiev, I. Stravinsky, M. Ravel, S. Rachmaninoff, and others.

In 2012, Toradze recorded the piano concertos of S. Prokofiev and D. Shostakovich with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, which earned the universal acclaim of music critics. The recording of S. Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 is recognized as one of the best recordings of this work. Toradze successfully participated in such prestigious festivals as the Hollywood Bowl, Saratoga, Blossom, and White Nights, as well as the Salzburg, Rotterdam, Stresa, Mikkeli, Ruhr, and Edinburgh festivals.

Toradze is considered one of the prominent pianists of contemporary times. His performance is characterized by virtuosity and artistic temperament. In South Bend, Indiana, at the local university where he served as the head of the piano department from 1991 to 2017, he founded the Toradze Piano Studio, which is recognized as a musical educational center. Numerous Georgian pianists perfected their mastery here. In 2005, Toradze, together with the members and alumni of his studio, held large-scale concert tours across various cities in Georgia.

Toradze systematically visited Tbilisi, holding concerts and charity evenings. Members of his studio successfully perform concerts worldwide. In 2011, he was awarded the Indiana Governor's Arts Award. From 2014, he was elected as a member of the South Bend Hall of Fame in the same state.

 

Literature: ტორაძე გ., გამოჩენილი ქართველი პიანისტი ლექსო თორაძე, ჟურნ. «ხიდი», 2004 №2.

G. Toradze