A warmly-received Valentine’s Day joint concert at Dartmouth College provided the impetus for the formation of the Hirsch-Pinkas Piano Duo. Already married though pursuing separate careers, Sally and Evan decided to continue to collaborate, and had their European debut at Italy’s Officina Scotese shortly thereafter. They have been touring widely since, garnering critical acclaim and forging a strong rapport with audiences and young musicians alike. Among performance highlights are concerts at Boston’s Jordan Hall, the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome, the Gnessin Academy in Moscow, the Muson Center in Lagos, the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila and Sala Cecilia Meireles in Rio de Janeiro. Festival credits include the Apple Hill Center, Monadnock Music and Music from Salem in the Northeast, Kfar Blum in Israel, Pontlevoy in France and PpIANISSIMO in Bulgaria.

The Duo’s extensive repertoire features many of the masterpieces for the genre, including works by Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Ravel, Messiaen, Milhaud and Bartók. They have commissioned and recorded the works of American composers Daniel Pinkham, Peter Child, Thomas Oboe Lee, Harold Shapero and Kui Dong for the Arsis, Albany, Toccata Classics and Otherminds labels. Their special friendship with composer George Rochberg culminated in the commission of his monumental Circles of Fire for two pianos, which the two premiered and recorded for Naxos, along with three more discs featuring Rochberg's solo piano works. Seasoned and passionate educators, Sally and Evan have conducted masterclasses at the Rice School of Music in Houston, Washington University in St. Louis, the China Conservatory in Beijing, and the Conservatories of St. Petersburg, Xian, and Ho Chi Minh City. Pinkas and Hirsch hold teaching positions at Dartmouth College and Brandeis University, and live in Medford, Massachusetts.

Following her London debut at Wigmore Hall, Israeli-born Sally Pinkas has been lauded for her performances as soloist and chamber musician. She frequently collaborates with the Adaskin String Trio, Ensemble Schumann, and the Apple Hill Quartet, and has recorded the music of Fauré, Schumann, Wolff, Shostakovich and Bridge for the Musica Omnia, MSR and Mode labels. Forthcoming is a release of Piano Quintets by Miguel del Aguila with Cuarteto Latinoamericano. Sally is the Pianist-in-residence at the Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College. She loves to garden, hike and bake when time permits.

Evan Hirsch, an active recitalist and chamber player, holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SUNY Purchase and a Master of Music from New England Conservatory. In addition to teaching piano and chamber music at Brandeis University, he teaches frequently at Dartmouth College, and has been on the Adult Education faculty at the New England Conservatory. Hirsch has performed with contemporary ensembles throughout the Northeast, and has recorded for New Albion, MSR and Arsis. His release of selections from Vingt Regards by Olivier Messiaen (MSR) has received critical acclaim. When not practicing, Evan enjoys climbing, running and woodworking.