"A true artist – a consummate musician…" "She plumbed the expressive depths with a force that was almost shocking…" "Salanki's playing was distinguished by naturalness, grace, and a feeling of flow…" These are only a few of the accolades that Hedi Salanki has garnered in the course of becoming one of today's foremost performers of a wide repertoire of solo and chamber music for the piano and harpsichord. Recent and upcoming engagements include teaching and performing at the Prestissimo International Music Festival in Pennsylvania, teaching and lecturing at the Lancaster International Piano Festival, judging and performing at the Maria Clara Cullell International Piano Competition in Costa Rica, judging a Piano Competition in Kunming China, performing at the San Jose International Baroque Festival in Costa Rica, judging at the Isidor Bajic International Piano Competition in Novi Sad, Serbia, performing at the World Piano Conference in Serbia, judging the United States Open Music Competition in California, performing in Florida and Pennsylvania, lecturing and performing in Fuzhou, China.
Dr. Salanki is a Distinguished University Professor of Music at the University of West Florida, where she is the director of the piano program and chamber music. She teaches piano performance, harpsichord performance, keyboard interpretation, ear training (Kodaly-method solfege), musical structure and style, and chamber music. She is also active as a guest instructor and clinician.
A native of Hungary, Ms. Salanki has appeared with the New Jersey Symphony, the New York Chamber Orchestra, I Solisti New York, the Syracuse Symphony, the Pensacola Symphony, the Jacksonville Symphony, the Mobile Symphony and numerous chamber ensembles. She has performed solo, duo and lecture recitals in Europe, the United States, Canada, China, Japan, New Zealand, and Costa Rica. Among her recordings on the Pantheon, Priceless, Laserlight, and Prince Productions labels are many significant works of Bach, including the Goldberg Variations (nominated for Ovation Magazine's Debut Artist of the Year Award), the Concerti, and the complete English Suites. She has also recorded Scarlatti Sonatas, Telemann Overtures, and a French Baroque program.
Ms. Salanki earned a Doctorate in Harpsichord Performance from the Juilliard School, as well as degrees and diplomas in piano performance and pedagogy from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music and the Bartok Conservatory in Budapest, and Rutgers University. From 1994 to 1998 Ms. Salanki served as founding Artistic Director of the Four Seasons Baroque Ensemble, garnering critical acclaim for artistic excellence and innovative programming.
