Keys Across America
KAA is the largest tour of American piano music in recent history, launched by internationally renowned classical pianist Mackenzie Melemed. His educational project, featuring recitals and masterclasses, celebrates USA 250 with music spanning 150+ years of creative output, exploring the history of America’s most influential composers.
Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
Florence Price (1887-1953)
L.M. Gottschalk (1829-1869)
Ned Rorem (1923-2022)
Edward MacDowell (1860-1908)
Arthur Foote (1853-1937)
Charles Ives (1874-1954)
Amy Beach (1867-1944)
The impetus:
I began playing piano at age four. Soon after, I was performing weekly for senior citizens in my hometown—small audiences that taught me the joy of sharing music with others. By age nine, I was performing regularly across the country, including a 60-show run in Atlantic City. I had the rare honor of performing for five consecutive years at The White House during the holiday season. My first invitation to perform abroad was a concert tour of the Czech Republic featuring American music. These experiences, along with representing the U.S. in multiple international competitions, helped shape my identity as both a musician and a cultural ambassador. I’ve always felt a deep responsibility not only to play well, but to represent American artistry with sincerity, warmth, and a desire to connect with audiences everywhere. Keys Across America is a natural expansion of these ideals, celebrating the USA’s 250th birthday in the best way I can imagine.
The pianist:
30-year-old American pianist Mackenzie Melemed, recipient of the 2022 Avery Fisher Career Grant, is widely acclaimed for his nuanced interpretations, technical mastery, and profound artistic insight. Described by The New York Times as “an excellent young pianist,” he has performed extensively as both soloist and chamber musician, appearing with major orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Helsinki Philharmonic, and in recital at iconic venues including Carnegie Hall. Melemed was a laureate of the 2021 American Pianists Awards, the 2019 China International Music Competition, and the 2017 Maj Lind International Piano Competition.
Melemed is known for curating programs that thoughtfully blend beloved masterworks with lesser-known treasures—inviting audiences into a deeper, more expansive experience of the classical repertoire. His upcoming debut album reflects his dual devotion to tradition and innovation, juxtaposing works by Bach, Brahms, and Liszt with newly commissioned pieces by Stephen Hough, Laura Kaminsky, and Avner Dorman—the latter having also composed a concerto specifically for him.
A native of Massachusetts, Melemed began performing at an early age—making his national television debut on The Rosie O’Donnell Show at five and appearing annually at the White House from ages nine to thirteen. Melemed is a Steinway Artist and graduate of The Juilliard School, where he earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Artist Diploma degrees under the guidance of Robert McDonald and Emanuel Ax.
With a distinctive voice and unwavering commitment to uncovering rarely heard repertoire, Melemed continues to chart a bold, expressive path in today’s classical music landscape. Keys Across America is one of Melemed’s first bold initiatives, with the aim of bringing incredible American piano music to every corner of the country.