Hailed as “a strong personality with technique and power to spare” (Philadelphia Inquirer), Micah McLaurin is a leading pianist of his generation. He has appeared in and been photographed and interviewed by major publications such as Paper Magazine, WWD, Resident Magazine, and other New York publications. His unique, singing tone-quality, depth of expression, commanding technique and personal flair and style have garnered him a large social media following, unusual for a classical musician. A versatile artist, Micah does not adhere to a strict “classical” repertoire and creates original arrangements of pop songs and expresses himself through fashion, pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a 21st century pianist. Micah has performed as soloist with major orchestras around the world including The Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Orquestra Filarmónica de Montevideo, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, South Carolina Philharmonic, Musicfest Perugia Orchestra, Virginia Symphony, Music Academy of the West’s Academy Orchestra, and the North Carolina Symphony. During the 2019-20 season, McLaurin debuted at the Key Biscayne Piano Festival, the Queens Symphony Orchestra, and the Spoleto Festival, where he was slated to perform Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with conductor Jonathon Heyward, but the festival was canceled due to COVID-19. He made his second appearance for the Miami Piano Festival to play a solo recital of Liszt and Scriabin. In January 2020, he joined countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo as part of the Guggenheim’s Works and Process series. He performed two solo recitals in Milan, as part of the Antonio Mormone Prize. Last season, he made his Lincoln Center solo recital debut at Alice Tully Hall, presented by the Musician’s Emergency Fund, and performed as part of the Youth America Grand Prix Gala at the David Koch Theater. In 2018, McLaurin made his Philadelphia Orchestra solo debut under Kensho Watanabe in Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2 “The Age of Anxiety” as part of the Leonard Bernstein at 100 Centennial. That year, he also made his debut at the Mann Center, performing Gershwin’s Concerto in F with The Philadelphia Orchestra. An avid recitalist and chamber musician, McLaurin has performed at Lincoln Center, Verbier Festival, Spoleto Festival, Musicfest Perugia, Aspen Music Festival, Southeastern Piano Festival, International Piano Series at the College of Charleston, the Miami Chopin Foundation, Gilmore Keyboard Festival, Paderewski Festival of Raleigh, Jeudis du Piano Genève, and Festival des Pianissimes Paris. He has collaborated with conductors including Joshua Weilerstein, JoAnn Falletta, Jahja Ling, Nicholas McGegan, Kensho Watanabe, and Ken Lam and has performed with musicians including Anthony Roth Costanzo and Orli Shaham. Winner of the Gilmore Young Artist Award in 2016, McLaurin used the commission prize allotment to commission Stephen Hough to write his piano Sonata No. 4, which quotes “En Avril a Paris” by Charles Trenet. He is a laureate of the Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists, Hilton Head International Competition, and Thomas and Evon Cooper International Piano Competition, among others. His 2021/22 season highlights include a debut of a new work titled “Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue” by Steve Hackman, in Hagen, Germany, and engagements in Italy, Fotografiska and South America with the Illinois Symphony. Born in 1994 in Charleston, McLaurin studied with Marsha Gerber and Enrique Graf. He earned a Bachelor of Music at the Curtis Institute of Music, working with Robert McDonald and Gary Graffman. He also studied with Jerome Lowenthal in New York. His musical influences outside of his teachers are Vladimir Horowitz, Samson Francois, Nibya Mariño, and Lady Gaga.