Lillian Gordis

  • Assistant Professor of Harpsichord
  • Eugene D. Eaton, Jr., Chair in Baroque Music Performance
  • PIANO + KEYBOARD

Born in 1992 into a family of scholars and mathematicians in Berkeley, California, Lillian Gordis fell in love with the harpsichord at age 9 and never looked back. Five years later, Pierre Hanta茂 discovered her during a tour to the United States and, captivated by her touch, he encouraged her to move to France for further studies. Gordis moved to Paris at 16 where she was mentored by Hanta茂 and Bertrand Cuiller.

Hailed as a 鈥淢artha Argerich of the harpsichord鈥 (ResMusica), Gordis regularly performs as a soloist in festivals across Europe and the United States and plays frequently in a duo with J茅r么me Hanta茂. 

Her most recent album, a double-disc dedicated to Bach (Paraty Productions, 2022) was awarded a Diapason d鈥橭r and has received praise in the press worldwide (Gramophone, Scherzo, American Record Guide, Fono Forum, Qobuz and other media). It was a 鈥渃oup de c艙ur nouveaut茅鈥 on France Musique (Relax !, Lionel Esparza) and was also featured on the program 鈥淟e Bach du Dimanche鈥 (Corinne Schneider). Her first solo recording鈥斺淶ones鈥 (Paraty Productions, 2019)鈥攚as entirely dedicated to the sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti. Gordis鈥 next solo album鈥攁 second volume of Bach鈥檚 keyboard works鈥攚ill appear in 2025.

Recent highlights include her d茅but as a guest soloist with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and a season-long U.S. tour of solo recitals and duo concerts (New York, San Diego, Ann Arbor, Oberlin, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, Berkeley and other capitals). Upcoming performances include solo recitals in France at the Festival Bach en Combrailles and the Festival Acad茅mie-Bach Arques-la-Bataille, and a collaboration with Tasto Solo for a spring 2025 Belgian tour.

In 2024, Gordis was named Eaton Chair of Baroque Music at CU Boulder where she teaches harpsichord and directs the Baroque ensemble. In the 2023-24 academic year, she served as visiting assistant professor of harpsichord at Oberlin Conservatory.

Harpsichord