Vladimir Feltsman, an acclaimed pianist and professor of piano studies, retired from SUNY New Paltz in Dec. 2024 after nearly 40 years on the faculty. His retirement also marks the end of PianoSummer at New Paltz, an internationally renowned annual festival he founded in 1993. Feltsman and his wife, Haewon, who coordinated the festival, will relocate it to the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, MA.
Feltsman, a Moscow Conservatory-trained musician, has performed with leading orchestras worldwide and recorded over 60 albums. His connection to SUNY New Paltz began in the mid-1980s when he met then-college president Alice Chandler, who invited him to join the faculty in 1987. With campus support, Feltsman launched PianoSummer, which has since welcomed over 1,000 students from around the world to participate in master classes, recitals, and the Jacob Flier Piano Competition, named for Feltsman’s mentor.
PianoSummer prioritized accessibility by offering free tuition and housing since 2017, ensuring participation was based on talent rather than financial ability. The program’s annual competition winners, including 2024 winner Yifan Wu, have earned debut performances at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. Wu’s upcoming recital on Mar. 22, 2025, will close the New Paltz chapter of the festival.
SUNY New Paltz leaders praised Feltsman for his contributions to the university and local community. President Darrell P. Wheeler and Jeni Mokren, dean of the School of Fine & Performing Arts, acknowledged the program’s impact and extended best wishes to the Feltsmans in their next chapter.
Join the family! 
