Sebastian Noah Picht​ Pianist

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A native of Philadelphia, pianist Sebastian Picht’s earliest musical memories are of his grandfather, playing jazz standards and his own compositions, on the black upright piano in his childhood apartment. Hearing his mother, a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra, practice the violin, and his father, a conductor, prepare scores for his string orchestra, Sebastian was drawn most of all to the piano, and the sounds his grandfather made. After a few years as his grandfather’s assistant in churning out eclectic improvisations, Sebastian began his piano training at the age of four with his grandmother, Asya Kalendar. He continued his studies with Susan Nowicki and Amy Yang.

 

In the last year, Sebastian has presented solo recitals on international stages in Mexico, Iceland, and Spain, the last as the winner of the Absolute Prize at the 2025 Valencia International Piano Academy PRO Competition in July. He was recently a Guest Presenter at Rancho la Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, where he gave a lecture recital on “Dramatic Works for Piano: Schumann, Liszt, and my grandfather.” In addition to these international appearances, Sebastian performed a solo recital on the opening concert of the 2023 Swiss Alps Classics in Vitznau, Switzerland, as one of two Young Scholars selected from the Lang Lang International Music Foundation’s Class of 2022-2024. Within the United States, he has given educational outreach concerts as an ambassador of the Lang Lang Foundation’s Keys of Inspiration Program, as well as performances in schools and senior residences throughout the Delaware Valley, under the auspices of the Philadelphia-based music management company, Allegro Music Consultants.

 

Sebastian is a passionate and avid chamber musician, owing to his time as a student at the Music Preparatory Division of Temple University. While a student at Temple Prep, Sebastian gave the U.S. premiere of the first movement of his grandfather’s piano concerto with the Youth Chamber Orchestra at Temple Music Prep in December 2022, composing an original cadenza for the occasion. In addition to VIPA 2025, Sebastian has participated in several music festivals, including the Aspen Music Festival, Curtis Summerfest, and the Bowdoin International Music Festival. He has worked with internationally recognized pedagogues, among them Gary Graffman, Yoheved Kaplinsky, Pavel Nersessian, and Matti Raekallio.

 

Sebastian graduated from Central High School in Philadelphia with a Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Program in 2023. In addition to his love for music, Sebastian is an avid reader and writer, enjoys cooking for himself and others, and has a keen interest in politics and issues of social justice. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Piano Performance from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, studying with Professor Alexander Shtarkman.