Canadian Piano Duo Ensemble of Deborah Grimmett and Iman Habibi, Piano Pinnacle, has established itself as a leading new piano duo ensemble.
Its performances have been hailed as a “true tour de force[…], ” and “an absolute delight” (Musetta Stone). Piano Pinnacle won First Prize at the United States International Duo Piano Competition (USIDPC – 2014), and Second Prize at the International Northwest Piano Ensemble Competition (NWIPEC), and has twice attained the Audience Choice award at the latter. The duo’s performances have been heard across Europe and North America, in cities such as Paris, Chicago, Toronto, Seattle, Oslo, Colorado Springs, and Vancouver. Recent seasons included performances with orchestras in British Columbia and Michigan, including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (under the baton of Bramwell Tovey), Ann Arbor Camerata, and Dexter Community Orchestra.
Piano Pinnacle is dedicated to rejuvenating the piano duo genre by presenting an eclectic mix of old and new repertoire with “a passion that could only be achieved by years of patience[…]” (The Other Press). The ensemble aspires to promote and nurture the development of new music, and was the inspiration and dedicatees of over 80 new works for piano duo, of which 15 were selected for performance in New York City. Piano Pinnacle has thus far premiered over two dozen new works for piano duo and two pianos with various ensemble combinations.
Described as “electric” and “absolutely breathtaking” (CiTR Radio), pianist Deborah Grimmett’s performances have been heard throughout North America and Europe in major concert halls such as Auditorium Santa Croce (Italy), Norges Musikkhøgskole (Norway), Espace Carpeaux (France), Ganz Hall, Sherman Clay Steinway Hall (US), and The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts (Canada). She has been presented in concert by Müzewest Concerts, Gallery 345, and Douglas College Arts at One, and has appeared with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Philharmonic, Dexter Orchestra, and NOVO Ensemble, among others. Her performances and interviews have been broadcast on CiTR and South Carolina Public radio.
Ms. Grimmett enjoys a versatile performing career as soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician. In addition, her playing has been featured on soundtracks for a few commercials and films, including Lost and Found, the soundtrack for which won First Prize at the SOCAN Foundation Awards. Ms. Grimmett holds a Master of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of British Columbia. Her principal teachers include Jane Coop, Marietta Orlov, Kenneth Broadway, and Ralph Markham.
Iman Habibi (D.M.A., Michigan) has successfully established his career as a composer as well as a pianist. He is recognized by critics as a “confident player,” (Prince George Citizen) and a “giant in talent” (The Penticton Herald). His compositions have been programmed by many prestigious concert organizations such as The New York Festival of Song, The Marilyn Horne Foundation, and Vox Novus (New York), The Canadian Opera Company and Tapestry New Opera (Toronto), Atlantic Music Festival (Maine), the BCScene Festival (Ottawa), The Sonic Boom Festival, and the Powell Street Festival (Vancouver). Dr. Habibi has received numerous awards including the International Composers’ Award at the Esoterics’ POLYPHONOS competition (2012), the First Prize at SOCAN Foundations Awards for Young AV Composers (for three years), the Mayor’s Arts Awards as well as others. His music and interviews are broadcast regularly on radios across North America such as CBC radio one, CBC radio two (Canada), and WQXR (New York), and Radio Javan. Iman has had the privilege of performing with a number of great musicians and ensembles such as the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, the Atlantic Music Festival Orchestra, the Prince George Symphony Orchestra, and the UBC Symphonic Wind Ensemble.