Jeffrey Kahane

Jeffrey Kahane serves as Professor in the Keyboard Studies Department at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music, joining part-time in 2015 before transitioning to full-time in 2016. An internationally acclaimed pianist and conductor, he previously held the longest tenure (20 years) as Music Director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra until 2017.

His educational background includes:

• San Francisco Conservatory of Music (piano studies with Howard Weisel and Jakob Gimpel)
• Master's degree in Classics, University of Colorado at Boulder (2011)

Kahane's artistic mastery spans Baroque to contemporary repertoire, with signature expertise in Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Gershwin, and John Adams. His interdisciplinary approach integrates linguistic scholarship (reflecting his classical studies background) with innovative performance practices. As a conductor, he pioneered community-focused programming models recognized by ASCAP, blending educational outreach with artistic excellence across major orchestras.

Selected honors include:

• First Prize at the 1983 Rubinstein Competition
• Avery Fisher Career Grant (1983)
• ASCAP awards for adventurous programming in Los Angeles and Denver

His career bridges performance and pedagogy through extensive solo recitals at Carnegie Hall and major festivals, concerto collaborations with the New York Philharmonic and Cleveland Orchestra, and recordings for Deutsche Grammophon and SONY labels. Current leadership roles include Conductor Laureate of the Santa Rosa Symphony and ongoing artistic direction of educational initiatives at USC Thornton.