Biography

“A moving brilliant performance”

“Magical”

“I was riveted”

“Graceful and powerful, delicate and incisive – this is how one must describe the piano playing of Carolyn Kotok”

A highly regarded pianist who has captivated audiences and generated rave reviews across Europe and N America, Carolyn Kotok first came to public prominence in 1986 when, at a days notice, she stepped in to play in a gala concert at Birmingham Town Hall with Conductor Sir Charles Groves. In the same year she went on to win First Prize at the Dudley International Piano Competition, which launched her career as a soloist and led to her critically acclaimed London debut at the Wigmore Hall.

Born in Germany, Carolyn Kotok had her formative training at
The Purcell School and the Guildhall School of Music.
During this time, she won numerous awards and engagements from all the major musical Trusts, subsequently completing her studies at the Hanover Hochschule für Musik, Germany, and privately with Benjamin Kaplan in London.

Her successes and prizes in competitions include: the National Federation of Music Societies Competition; Newport International Piano Competition; the Croydon Symphony Orchestra Soloist Award, which resulted in concerto work with Conductor Arthur Davison CBE; and Winner of the GEDOK German Music Competition.

Carolyn Kotok has performed extensively in major venues throughout Great Britain, including The South Bank, Croydon Fairfield Halls and for a gala event at the London Palladium. She has broadcast on Radio and Television and has toured in countries throughout Europe, notably Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium and Holland, as well as giving all-Chopin programme recitals in Poland for the International Federation of Chopin Societies.

Following her highly successful North American debut in 1996, where she gave the inaugural concert for the Frick Arts Music Series, Ms Kotok was subsequently invited back to the US repeatedly for further engagements, radio broadcasts and interviews. In Washington DC these have included concerts at the Phillips Collection, the Mozart at the World Bank Festival, the Cosmos Club and at the Kennedy Center as part of the WPAS 'Emerging Artists' Series.

Currently London based, Carolyn is in great demand as a piano teacher, to which she maintains a strong and active commitment. She runs a thriving private teaching practice in N London and is an established piano tutor to corporate clients in the city.

In addition to solo playing in the Classical Music arena, Carolyn's further interests lie in the related areas of performance psychology and nutrition. She also holds a black belt in martial arts.

Please use the email link on this site for initial contact regarding this and musical projects in the commercial sector area.

Carolyn Kotok is a Steinway Artist.

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