The College of Music is excited to welcome Lillian Gordis as assistant professor of harpsichord this fall, succeeding Professor of Harpsichord Robert Hill upon his upcoming retirement.
“Lillian has developed an impressive career as an international performer and recording artist,” says Professor of Piano David Korevaar, who led the search for this position. He also notes that Gordis will be teaching harpsichord and directing the college’s Early Music Ensemble.
Born into a family of scholars and mathematicians in Berkeley, California, Gordis fell in love with the harpsichord at age 9 and never looked back. Five years later, Pierre Hantaï discovered her during a tour to the United States and encouraged her to move to France for further studies. Gordis moved to Paris at age 16 where she was mentored by Hantaï and Bertrand Cuiller.
Since then, Gordis—who holds dual nationality with the United States and France—regularly performs as a soloist in festivals across Europe and the United States, and plays frequently in a duo with French viola da gamba player and fortepianist Jérôme Hantaï. For the 2023-’24 academic year, she served as visiting assistant professor of harpsichord at Oberlin Conservatory.
“I’m thrilled to join the faculty at CU Boulder as Eaton Chair of Baroque music,” says Gordis. “I look forward to building a diverse and thriving early music community, and attracting students from far and wide to our program at the College of Music—as well as collaborating with my wonderful new colleagues.”
Gordis’ most recent album—a double-disc dedicated to Bach (Paraty Productions, 2022)—was awarded a Diapason d’Or and has received praise in the press worldwide. Her first solo recording—“Zones” (Paraty Productions, 2019)—was entirely dedicated to the sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti; her next solo album, a second volume of Bach’s keyboard works, will be released in early 2025.
Recent highlights include Gordis’ debut as a guest soloist with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and a season-long U.S. tour of solo recitals and duo concerts. Her upcoming performances include solo recitals in France at the Festival Bach en Combrailles and the Festival Académie-Bach Arques-la-Bataille, and a collaboration with Tasto Solo for a Belgian tour next spring.
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