PIERRE-LAURENT AIMARD - an afternoon of music and conversation, with Mark Swed

On Sunday, November 22, 2026, at 2220 Arts + Archives, Piano Spheres is pleased to present An Afternoon of Music and Conversation with Pierre-Laurent Aimard.

Pierre-Laurent Aimard is one of the most exceptional pianists of our time. Appointed by Pierre Boulez to the newly founded Ensemble intercontemporain when he was only 19 years old, he is regarded as an expert in modernist music. Having waited more than forty years to record the music of Arnold Schoenberg’s piano works – a journey that began in 1973 when, as a student at the Paris Conservatoire, he performed Schoenberg’s Opus 11 live on television after winning the Olivier Messiaen Competition – Aimard has devoted his formidable interpretive skills to recording five landmark piano works, tracing the composer’s artistic evolution through the Expressionism of Op. 11 (1909) to Op. 33b (1931), written on the eve of Schoenberg's emigration to the United States and reflecting both Brahmsian tradition and a world in transition.

Piano Spheres is thrilled to present a very special event with Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who will be joined by Mark Swed, the longtime classical music critic of the Los Angeles Times, in an afternoon of music and conversation

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Since its founding in 1994 by legendary pianist Leonard Stein, Piano Spheres has become one of America’s most unique and important presenters of new and unusual concert music for the piano. Over these 30 seasons, Piano Spheres’ artists have presented over one thousand contemporary classical works for piano, many of which were premieres, to dedicated audiences throughout Southern California.

Season highlights this year include a rare appearance by Charlemagne Palestine, the US premiere of Enno Poppe’s “Rundfunk” for nine keyboards, music for two pianos by Pierre Boulez featuring Gloria Cheng & Ralph van Raat, and solo programs including new commissions by the artists of Piano Spheres.