Editing Stephen Kovacevich

{{short description|American classical pianist and conductor (born 1940)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
[[File:Edisons klassiek 1970 zijn uitgereikt in Concertgebouw, Amsterdam links Fischer, Bestanddeelnr 923-9297 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Stephen Kovacevich in 1970]]
'''Stephen Kovacevich''' (born October 17, 1940) is an American classical [[pianist]] and [[Conducting|conductor]].<ref>Adrian Room  Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins 2010, p. 62.</ref> He is particularly celebrated for his recordings of works by [[Beethoven]], [[Bartók]], and [[Schubert]], and is known for technical skill, clarity of playing, and an intelligent approach to interpretation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/oct/20/stephen-kovacevich-bishop-best-piano-recordings-75-birthday-beethoven-schubert-grieg-brahms-bartok|title=Stephen Kovacevich at 75: His best recordings|website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date=October 20, 2015}}</ref>

==Biography==
Stephen Kovacevich was born in [[San Pedro, Los Angeles]], [[California]], to a [[Croats|Croatian]] father and an American mother. When his mother remarried, his name was changed to Stephen Bishop, the name under which he performed in his early career. He later discovered that he was often being confused with the singer and guitarist [[Stephen Bishop (guitarist)|Stephen Bishop]]. To avoid the confusion, he began performing as Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich and later simply as Stephen Kovacevich.<ref name="HHE">''[[Hampstead and Highgate Express]]'' (June 12, 2009). [http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/what-s-on/music/brahms_brings_balm_1_631086 "Brahms brings balm"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019101950/http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/what-s-on/music/brahms_brings_balm_1_631086 |date=October 19, 2013 }}. Retrieved March 11, 2013.</ref>

He made his [[concert]] debut as a [[pianist]] at the age of 11; then, at the age of 18 he moved to London to study under Dame [[Myra Hess]] on a scholarship and has been a London resident ever since, currently living in [[Hampstead]]. In 1961 he made a sensational European debut at the [[Wigmore Hall]], playing the [[Piano Sonata (Berg)|Sonata]] by [[Alban Berg]], three [[Bach]] Preludes and Fugues and [[Beethoven]]'s ''[[Diabelli Variations]]''. He also toured Britain with [[Jacqueline du Pré]].<ref>Elizabeth Wilson ''Jacqueline Du Pre: Her Life, Her Music, Her Legend'' 1999, p. 136.</ref> In 1967, he made his [[New York City|New York]] debut and since then he has toured Europe, the United States, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand and South America. As a soloist and conductor, he has frequently performed and recorded works by, amongst others, [[Mozart]], Beethoven, [[Schubert]], [[Brahms]] and [[Bartók]]. In more recent years, he has performed works by [[Rachmaninoff]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03ccl68|title = BBC Four - the Joy of Rachmaninoff, Tom Service meets the great pianist Stephen Kovacevich and discusses Rachmaninoff the pianist and the composer| date=December 17, 2015 }}</ref>

Kovacevich often performs chamber works; his chamber music partners have included [[Jacqueline du Pré]], [[Martha Argerich]], [[Steven Isserlis]], [[Nigel Kennedy]], [[Lynn Harrell]], [[Sarah Chang]], [[Gautier Capuçon]], [[Renaud Capuçon]] and [[Emmanuel Pahud]].

Aside from his performing career, Kovacevich has given master classes and recitals at [[Dartington International Summer School]] for many years.

== Personal life ==

From 1961 to 1967 Kovacevich was married to novelist and psychotherapist [[Bernardine Bishop]] née Wall, who died in 2013. They had two sons, [[Matt Bishop]] and Foff  (Francis) Bishop.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-07-05 |title=Bernardine Bishop obituary |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jul/05/bernardine-bishop |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

Kovacevich had a relationship with pianist [[Martha Argerich]], with whom he still performs. They have one daughter, Stéphanie.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.classicfm.com/artists/martha-argerich/pictures/argerich-2/|title = Marriage and children}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{YouTube|JDcXtSfcpNc|David Dubal interview with Stephen Kovacevich}}, WNCN-FM, May 6, 1983

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[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American male classical pianists]]
[[Category:American male pianists]]
[[Category:American people of Croatian descent]]
[[Category:20th-century American pianists]]
[[Category:21st-century American classical pianists]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:American expatriates in England]]