While pianist Simon Trpceski gives a fair number of recitals and chamber music concerts, his touring schedule often favors concerto repertory, and usually of the challenging variety, with healthy portions by Liszt, Rachmaninov, and Prokofiev. He seems fearless, though, whether in selecting difficult works for major debuts, like the Prokofiev Third for his 2010 Carnegie Hall debut or in championing little-known music by contemporary Macedonian composers like Pande Shahov and Zivojin Glisic. Besides relishing in the challenges and risks, Trpceski is an insightful interpreter, able to adapt to the styles of a wide range of composers. Trpceski, who has nearly reached pop-star status in his homeland, regularly tours throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand and has made several highly successful recordings. Trpceski was born in Skopje, Macedonia, on September 18, 1979. He studied music there at the University of St. Cyril and St. Methodius, where his most important teacher was Boris Romanov. Trpceski debuted at London's Wigmore Hall in 2001 and began performing then as a BBC New Generation Artist until 2003. He graduated from St. Cyril and St. Methodius University in 2002, the year his first recording for EMI, a recording of works by Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and Scriabin, was issued to great acclaim. Gramophone gave it an Editor's Choice and Debut Album award. In 2004, Trpceski debuted with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra in Saint-Saëns' Second Concerto, and the following year, he made his first appearance with the New York Philharmonic in an acclaimed performance of the daunting Rachmaninov Third. Other important debuts followed, including his 2006 appearances with the Toronto and London Symphony orchestras. Despite his teaching duties at St. Cyril and St. Methodius University, Trpceski has carried a busy concert schedule, touring throughout North America, Europe, East Asia, and Australia. In the 2009-2010 season, he toured Europe with both the Philharmonia Orchestra under Maazel and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic led by Jaap van Zweden. Along with EMI, Trpceski has also recorded with the Onyx, Wigmore Hall Live, BIS, Linn, and Avie labels. On the latter, in 2010, his recording of the Rachmaninov Second and Third Concertos made the Top Ten on Billboard's Classical Chart. In 2020, he accompanied Eldbjørg Hemsing on a BIS release of Grieg violin sonatas, and issued the album Makedonissimo, on Linn. Trpceski was awarded the Presidential Order of Merit in 2009 by Macedonian President H.E. Gjorge Ivanov, at the time becoming the youngest recipient of this high distinction in the history of his country. ~ Robert Cummings & Keith Finke, Rovi