Impact Report 2023 - Music Institute of Chicago

Celebrating 35 years of multi-generational, multi-piano music-making Hailed as a “duo piano mecca,” the Chicago Duo Piano Festival (CDPF) was founded in 1988 by award-winning piano duo and MIC Artistsin-Residence, Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem. The piano duo, considered among the most accomplished of their generation, hosts the Festival at MIC which includes summer and winter events, student recitals, master classes, periodic student and professional competitions, and concerts featuring internationally-recognized guest artists. This year more than 50 participants, ranging in age from seven to 83, enjoyed five concerts and two master classes, and performed in multiple student recitals during the winter Mini-fest and summer Festival.

The summer Festival opening concert began with Claire and Ralph performing Shubert’s Rondo, subtitled “Notre amitie est invariable” or “Our friendship is unvarying.” Ralph remarked how perfect its sentiment was in describing the Festival saying, “We’ve made so many friends over the years and playing duo piano music is really all about playing music with people you know and like and are friends with.”

L–R: Katherine K. Lee, program director; Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem, artistic directors; Soo Young Lee, MIC piano faculty; and 2023 Mini-fest participants.