Watts, André

Watts, André

(born June 20, 1946, Nürnberg, Ger.) German-born U.S. pianist. Son of an African American soldier and a Hungarian mother, he made his debut at age nine at a Philadelphia Orchestra children's concert. He attracted wide attention when at age 16 he performed on television under conductor Leonard Bernstein. Though already a mature musician, he chose to continue study with Leon Fleischer (b. 1928). In 1976 he gave a concert that was the first live television broadcast of a solo recital in history. His surpassing technique and understated manner made him a favoured concert performer, and his popularity continued into the 21st century.

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Watts, André (1946–  ) pianist; born in Nuremberg, Germany. Son of an African-American soldier and a Hungarian mother, he studied piano in Philadelphia and appeared with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age nine. He was catapulted to fame in 1963, when he played on national television with the New York Philharmonic. After his first world tour in 1967, he became an international favorite, primarily noted for his elegant handling of the 19th-century repertoire.