Martha Argerich

Martha Argerich was born in Buenos Aires in 1941. She gave her debut concert at the age of eight，performing a concerto by Mozart，and works by Beethoven and Bach. The family moved to Europe in 1955，and Argerich studied with Friedrich Gulda in Switzerland，and later with Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and Stefan Askenase. Her professional career was launched when at the age of 16 she won two major piano competitions: the Geneva International Music Competition and the Bolzano Competition.
In 1965 she won the Seventh International Chopin Competition in Warsaw，performing Chopin’s Etude，op.10. no. 1 in C major. In the same year she made her first recording，including works by Chopin，Brahms，Ravel，Prokofiev，and Liszt. Her technique is considered among the best of her time，and she is often compared with Vladimir Horowitz. Her performances are frequently referred to as impassioned and uninhibited. She says，"Some people play according to plan，but I don't. Instinct and intuition are extremely important."
Since the 1980’s Argerich has focused on concertos and chamber music performance that stress the interaction between musicians，rather than solo concerts. She often performs with Nelson Freire，Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich，Gidon Kremer and Mischa Maisky. She says her preference is related to "not only feeling lonely on stage during solo concerts，but also because I don't like to be observed very precisely."
Argerich is noted especially for her recordings of 20th century works by composers such as Rachmaninoff，Messiaen and Prokofiev. In her large repertoire she says that she particularly loves Schumann，Prokofiev，Ravel，Stravinsky and Bach.
Argerich still admires her mentor Gulda. She played at the "In Joyful Remembrance of Gulda" concerts that were held in Japan in January 2005，joined by two sons of Gulda.
Argerich is also recognized for her devotion to fostering young talent. She frequently　appears as member of the jury of important competitions. The first International Martha Argerich Piano Competition took place in Buenos Aires in September 1999. She created the Beppu Argerich Music Festival in Japan with the objective of promoting young Asian musicians and fostering creativity in young people. The Martha Argerich Project in Lugano，Switzerland has attracted both established and emerging artists.