Dmitri Novgorodsky was born to a musical family in Odessa, the former USSR. He began to play the piano at age five and was admitted into a special music school for gifted children a year later. By the age of 16, Mr. Novgorodsky had won the First Prize at the Kazakhstan National Piano Competition, and later the Gold Medal of the National Festival of the Arts. After graduating from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory with high honors, Mr. Novgorodsky immigrated to Israel, where he performed in numerous halls and was awarded the "Extraordinary Pianist" Grant.
In 1992, he was offered a full scholarship to study with Professor Boris Berman at Yale School of Music. While at Yale, he received four Distinguished Honorary Awards for the best piano recitals and a Special Faculty Prize to an outstanding pianist in the graduating class. Mr. Novgorodsky is the first Moscow Conservatory graduate in piano performance to have earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Yale University School of Music.
As a soloist, he has appeared in Russia, Kazakhstan, France, Byelorussia, Ukraine, Israel, Canada, Turkey, Taiwan and at such venues in the United States as Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall (New York City); Kennedy Center (Washington, DC); Devos Center for the Arts (Grand Rapids, Michigan); and WFLN radio’s "Talent showcase" (Philadelphia). In 1998, Mr. Novgorodsky was granted the "Extraordinary Abilities in the Arts" permanent US residence, as one of a small percentage of those who have risen to the top in their field of endeavor. His collaborative activities include a three-year affiliation with the violinist Sarah Chang, recitals with cellists Kenneth Kuo, Ole Akahoshi and Yamaha performing artist, Professor Arthur Campbell. During the 2000- 2001 season, the Campbell-Novgorodsky duo gave Canadian, American and European premieres to the "Prophesies from 47 Ursae Majoris" by Andrew Paul MacDonald. The recording of this work won the Third International Web Competition in November 2001, and is currently available on CD "Premieres". Under the U.S. Department of State Artist Abroad Award, the duo went on an extended concert tour to Turkey, where Mr. Novgorodsky also presented a series of piano master classes at the Istanbul Center for Advanced Musical Research. In 2001, Mr. Novgorodsky appeared at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and Steinway Hall (at the Scriabin Society of America’s invitation). He also performed Chopin’s Piano Concerto # 1 with the "Connecticut Virtuosi" Chamber Orchestra to critical acclaim and toured in Taiwan with Kenneth Kuo, appearing in collaborative performances and conducting master classes at the Taipei Teachers’ College. Mr. Novgorodsky’s engagements in the spring 2002 comprised solo and chamber music concerts, as well as master classes, workshops and a live radio broadcast in the United States, Israel, Kazakhstan and St. Petersburg (Russia). In April, he was invited by Raisa Scriabine, the granddaughter of the famous Russian composer, to perform at a Special Scriabin Gala Concert for the Russian Ambassador to the United States in Washington, DC.
Prior to his appointment at Lawrence, Mr. Novgorodsky served as Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh and Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano at Grand Valley State University in Michigan.
Contact by e-mail: dmitri.novgorodsky@lawrence.edu