Hailed by the New York Times as “a marvelous pianist,” Peter Takács has performed widely, receiving critical and audience acclaim for his penetrating and communicative interpretations.  Born in Bucharest, Romania, he gave frequent recitals in his native city until his parents’ application for emigration to the West, at which point all further studies and performances were banned.  He continued to study clandestinely, however, until his family was finally allowed to emigrate to France where, at age fourteen, he was admitted to the Conservatoire National de Paris.

Upon his arrival in the United States, Mr. Takacs received full scholarships to Northwestern University, the University of Illinois, and to the Peabody Conservatory, where he completed his artistic training with Leon Fleisher.

He has received numerous prizes and awards, including First Prize in the William Kapell Competition, the C. D. Jackson Award for excellence in chamber music at the Tanglewood Music Center, and a Solo Recitalist grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.  He has performed with major orchestras in this country and abroad, as well as at many prestigious summer festivals.  His recording of the Beethoven Piano Sonata cycle is scheduled to be released on the CAMBRIA label in 2007.

Mr. Takács is Professor of Piano and Chair of the Piano Department at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he has been teaching since 1976.