Bio
Maestro Elisha Abas is a unique combination of intellect, elegance and pedigree. As a direct descendant of the Alfred Cortot School and mentee of Artur Rubinstein, Abas' rare interpretations and authentic spirit, that he most likely inherited from his great-great grandfather, Alexander Scriabin, reminds you of the old masters. His performance career started early in life, at the tender age of six, when he became the life-long student of Pnina Salzman, Israel's First Lady of Piano. From that point, he performed all over the world in venues such as Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall and shared the stage and screen with masters such as Isaac Stern, Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta and Artur Rubinstein, including guest appearances with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
Abas has achieved many accolades throughout his career. Those most notable were achieved when he was a young prodigy - winning first place in the American-Israel Cultural Foundation music competition for eight consecutive years and first place in the Claremont Piano Competition. Mid-career, Maestro Abas, who is now in his early 30s, stopped performing throughout the world and settled in his native country, Israel, where he continued to give intimate solo recitals while obtaining a law degree and playing professional soccer. In 2007, Abas returned to Carnegie Hall. This performance marked the launch of his reemergence to the international stage, where Abas was greeted by a sold out house. The New York Times noted "...a sensitive Chopin Nocturne...Abas was definitely communicating something to somebody...a young man declared it amazing giving the adjective a heartfelt modifier not suitable for publication...the presence of so much youth and enthusiasm - and the excitement in the room was palpable." Abas has since embarked on a global initiative to save classical music for our youth.
