Audrey Abela
Praised for her sensitive and individual interpretations, French pianist Audrey Abela has performed extensively in the United States, South America and Europe in major venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Symphony Space, Steinway Hall, Chicago Cultural Center, Salle Gaveau, Salle Cortot, Salle Pleyel and the Royal Dublin Society. Passionate about chamber music, she has appeared at Concerts at One at Wall Street Trinity Church, International Beethoven Project in Chicago, Musique au Coeur de Baronnies and Festival Jeunes Talents in France.
After the completion of her musical studies in France, first with Olivier Cazal, then at the Conservatoire de Boulogne-Billancourt with Hortense Cartier-Bresson, Audrey Abela moved to New York to study at the Manhattan School of Music from which she now holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees. There, she worked with Nina Svetlanova, a pupil of the legendary Heinrich Neuhaus, and Marc Silverman. Subsequently, she was offered a five-year tuition fellowship to complete her Doctor of Musical Arts degree with Ursula Oppens and Thomas Sauer at CUNY Graduate Center. She is currently in the process of completing her dissertation, a study on French pianism. In addition, she had the privilege to work with and be influenced by artists such as Menahem Pressler, Paul Badura-Skoda, Robert McDonald, John O’Connor, André Laplante, Evelyne Crochet and David Dubal, among others.
She was a prizewinner in the 2013 Metropolitan international Piano Competition - New York. She has also taken part in many piano festivals including Piano Texas, Pianofest in the Hamptons, International Keyboard Institute and Festival, Banff Piano Masterclasses, and Gijon International Piano Festival. Over the years, she has been the recipient of several awards and grants, including the Artur Balsam Endowed Scholarship.
Audrey has extensive experience teaching students of all levels and ages. Above all, she enjoys sharing her love and passion for music with others. She has been described as a dedicated, caring, kind, stimulating, and thorough teacher. A believer in the universal and beneficial powers of music, she often bonds with her student in a deeply meaningful way. Audrey founded Opus One Music in the hope of connecting talented artist-teachers with aspiring musicians and curious listeners. Her goal is to create a friendly, stimulating, and thriving musical community that promotes creativity and excellence.
Listen to Audrey: