University News Last updated 09 February 2011
Mark Racz, pianist, teacher and Deputy Principal of the Royal Academy of Music has been made a Fellow of Birmingham Conservatoire.
The American-born musician moved to Birmingham in 1980 where he lived till 2008. During this time he performed widely as a soloist, as accompanist and in chamber music, including concerts at St David’s Hall (Cardiff), Cheltenham Town Hall, the Barber Institute, the Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham-Midland Institute and Aston University (all Birmingham). Although he has a broad repertoire, he has always had a particular affinity for twentieth century music, and has programmed works by Bartok, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Webern, Ives, Cage, Boulez, Crumb and many others. In 1993 he participated in a performance of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s three hour epic Sternklang, under the direction of the composer.
From 1989-2008 he worked full-time at Birmingham Conservatoire, which is part of Birmingham City University, teaching piano and related academic subjects and in 1997 he was appointed Head of Undergraduate Studies. He was appointed Vice Principal in 1999 and was awarded a Professorship by the then University of Central England in 2000 (now Birmingham City University). He has given numerous masterclasses throughout Europe and Asia including ones at the Franz Liszt Hochschule für Musik in Weimar, the University of Music in Bucharest, the Krakow Academy of Music, Beijing Central Conservatory, China Conservatory, Shanghai Conservatory, Xinghai Conservatory (Guangzhou), as well as many universities in Taiwan.
In 2008 he was appointed Deputy Principal of the Royal Academy of Music.
Professor Racz received his Fellowship at a graduation ceremony held by Birmingham City University on Tuesday 8 February, 2011, at Symphony Hall, Birmingham.