Biography

Dynamic and engaging, pianist Francesca Hurst delights audiences with a mix of classical and contemporary music. Listeners have described her playing as “moving and compelling” and “powerful yet sensitive”. Classically trained, she fell into the new music scene in 2013, when a last-minute gig with Great Noise Ensemble turned into a decade-long engagement as their pianist. At ease with a wide range of repertoire, she makes sense of the music regardless of style and period, is passionate about communicating with audiences, and has a special interest in performing music by women.

As a new music pianist, Francesca has appeared as a solo and collaborative guest artist at festivals like the Atlantic Music Festival, New Music Delaware, New Music Gathering, Charlotte New Music Festival, and the Bang on a Can Music Marathon. Equally versatile in the classical repertoire, she has played in such venues as the Kennedy Center, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC, and internationally in Bulgaria, Italy, Portugal, and France. During the pandemic, she created the 100-day online video series Daily Dose of Piano, which featured music from the Baroque to today, including 14 premieres. She was recently named to the Performing Artist Touring Roster of the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and just recorded her debut album of women composers, which will be released in early 2024.

Francesca is on the piano faculty at the University of Virginia and The Catholic University of America, and maintains a thriving private piano studio in Northern Virginia. She also taught at Trinity Washington University for several years. She is an MTNA Nationally Certified Teacher of Music. She holds a DMA in Piano Performance and a BA in Italian.