ABOUT

Mark Damisch is an American concert pianist who began studying organ at the Evanston Conservatory of Music at the age of four. He performed his first piano concert at seven. As a teen in 1974, he toured Europe both as a pianist and also in a vocal group alongside the Vienna Boys Choir.  In Salzburg’s Mirabel Gardens, he first considered the idea of touring on his own.

MarkPianoCathedral_0004The following year, Mr. Damisch arranged, promoted and performed concerts in Eastern Europe, Western Europe and the Soviet Union in furtherance of goodwill and international relations.  In 1976, he performed in Moscow and Leningrad, and in 1977, he performed a 7-week tour around the world.  In 1980-81, while attending law school, Mr. Damisch played fundraising concerts to raise money for students wishing to work in Chicago legal aid clinics.

After a 19-year hiatus, Mr. Damisch returned to the concert stage in the summer of 2000, continuing his mission of performing for charitable causes worldwide.  To date, he has raised over $1 million for local and national organizations.

Mark Damisch’s piano concerts have taken him to more than 70 countries, including Japan, the Soviet Union, Ukraine, Israel, Egypt, the Netherlands, Africa, China, Greece, Iceland, Taiwan, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, India and more.  He has performed in the Shuvalov Palace, raising funds for local orphanages; in Klin, at Tchaikovsky’s House; in Iskra, at the New Jerusalem Monastery; in Warsaw in the Museum of Jan Paderewski; and in Kyiv, Ukraine, at the National Philharmonic Hall to raise funds for local orphanages, in the National Conservatory of Music in Hanoi, the National Church of Iceland, the Hermitage Theater in Saint Petersburg, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin and in the Konstantinovsky Palace, Saint Petersburg, the “White House” of Russia

He has performed at the Houses of Friendship in Moscow, Kiev and Leningrad, Soviet Union; in Hiroshima, Japan, sponsored by Mayors for Peace, an organization devoted to the elimination of nuclear weapons; in Shenyang, China, where over $150,000 was raised for the Red Cross in a concert broadcast live to a city of 8 million people.  He has appeared on Swiss National Radio, the Voice of America and on national television in India, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Mr. Damisch’s concert tour for peace in the Middle East included concerts sponsored by the United States Embassy, Egypt; the Ein Gedi Kibbutz; and the Ticho House, Jerusalem.  Throughout his many tours each year, he has performed numerous times in coordination with U.S. Embassies and the U.S.O.

Mr. Damisch, who also appears in numerous domestic performances every  year, has been joined on tour by his daughters Kristina, Katherine and Alexandra, who sing and play the piano.

Mr. Damisch makes his career in Chicago as a personal injury attorney, and is a former criminal prosecutor with the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.  He holds an Undergraduate, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, and a Law Degree from Northwestern University.  He is also a Certified Public Accountant.  An active community member, Mark Damisch was elected to three consecutive terms as President of Northbrook, Illinois, where he makes his home with wife Patty and their three daughters.

Damisch Plays for Patriarch of Greek Orthodox Church

THE NORTBROOK TOWER

By ALAN P. HENRY Freelance Reporter

Mark Damisch’s dream is a simple one.

All he wants to do is leave the world a little better than he found it.

To that end, the 63-year old former Northbrook Village president recently returned from his 24th classic piano concert tour in 45 years in 70 countries around the world, this time around performing 22 concerts in 32 days in 13 countries throughout the Middle East and Europe.

Continue reading →

2019 Program

K, K and A Productions

Present

Mark W. Damisch

Pianist

in his 2019 Concert Tour to:

Washington, D.C., Tunisia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Jordan, Bulgaria,
North Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia, Spain, United Kingdom, Serbia, Turkey

ABOUT THE MUSIC:

COPLAND: APPALACHIAN SPRING

Appalachian Spring premiered in 1944 and has achieved widespread and enduing popularity. Originally designed as a ballet, it was created upon the commission of choreographer and dancer Martha Graham. It was first performed at the Library of Congress and includes the famous American “Shakers Theme” also known as “Simple Gifts”

Continue reading →

Известный американский пианист посетил город Смоленск с гастролями

22 сентября 2017 года в ОГАУК «Смоленская областная филармония» состоялся благотворительный концерт известного американского пианиста Марка Демиша.

Концерт собрал более 100 человек, но желающих послушать талантливого музыканта было гораздо больше. Пианист исполнил музыкальные композиции К. Дебюсси, Б. Бартока, Э. Донаньи и А. Копленда. Гости вечера очень тепло приветствовали господина Демиша и находились в восторге от виртуозного исполнения сложнейших произведений. В конце вечера публика с большим удовольствием исполнила знаменитую «Катюшу» под аккомпанемент пианиста.

Американский пианист и общественный деятель выступил в Волгограде с посланием мира и дружбы 27.09.2017

В Волгоградских школах искусств прошла серия фортепианных концертов американского исполнителя Марка Дэмиша. Свои выступления филантроп и музыкант посвятил подвигу Красной армии и той жертве, которую советский народ принёс ради мира на земле. Именно поэтому в программе концертов были произведения композиторов разных стран: Белы Бартока, Эрнста фон Донаньи, Аарона Копленда, а также знаменитая «Катюша», которой подпевал весь зал. Глава Волгограда Андрей Косолапов приветствовал визит в наш город американского общественного деятеля в рамках народной дипломатии.

Former Northbrook Mayor Takes On World Stage

DAILY NORTH SHORE

By Donald Liebenson – July 13, 2017

Mark Damisch is a big believer in iconic Chicago architect Daniel Burnham’s maxim, “Make no little plans.” This month, the Chicago attorney will embark from his Northbrook home on a 37-night trip abroad that will visit 13 countries. But he is not going as a tourist. He will perform 25 piano recitals.

Damisch began these tours 42 years ago. This is his 18th consecutive summer trip. But Damisch is not a professional musician. Though a virtuoso performer who has sold out international concert halls, he considers himself more a goodwill ambassador whose passion for classical music serves as a cultural bridge.

The overseas concerts are a labor of love for Damisch (he and Patty, his wife of 35 years, raise the funds) In past years he has toured and performed with daughters Kristina, Katherine, and Alexandra, but not this year; Kristina is getting married in August and Alexandra is working on her Masters from DePaul University. Katherine just completed her Masters from Northwestern, and is getting married in December.

Continue reading →

Read More News

Tour Dates

STAY TUNED FOR MARK'S 2018 TOUR SCHEDULE

Past Shows

24 Jul 2020 London, UK
23 Jul 2020 Antwerp, BEL
22 Jul 2020 Delft, NETH
21 Jul 2020 Haarlem
19 Jul 2020 Zurich, SWITZ

 

More Tour Dates

Philanthropy

Screen Shot 2015-01-08 at 3.33.53 PM

“All I want to do is leave the world a little better than I found it.”
Mark Damisch

2019 will be the 44th year of piano performance for Mark Damisch…a year of looking back on the abundance of memories of people and places across the globe where his family and their music have been welcomed so warmly.  So too the year brings fresh and exciting new experiences and venues…from Dubrovnik, Croatia to Belgrade, Serbia to Cairo, Egypt to Nicosia, Cyprus and many other venues, each special in its own way.

One thing will not change, and that is that the Damisches will continue to donate all benefits from both domestic and international performances to local charitable causes.  Through their music, Mark and his daughters Alexandra and Katherine have, to date, raised over $1 million for non-profit organizations worldwide.  In partnership with these groups, the family – which sponsors its own travel and does not accept performance fees – will honor its tradition of performing to audiences comprised of the charity’s constituents, with all ticket proceeds going to the charity.

To discuss an opportunity to host a concert that benefits a non-profit organization in your region, please contact us using the form provided.

A partial list of charitable recipients:

American Cancer Society

Austrian Embassy

Belfast Crescent Arts Centre

Bemovo Cultural Center, Warsaw, Poland

Blumenthal Auditorium, Tel Aviv, Israel, Benefit for Holocaust Survivors

Care Austria, Vienna

Cedarhurst Center for the Performing Arts, Mt. Vernon, IL

Cemtro Cultural do Poder Judiciario

Chicago-Amman Sister Cities Program

Chicago-Osaka Sister Cities Program

Chicago-Petach Tikva Sister Cities Program

Chicago-Warsaw Sister Cities Program

Childline, CLIC – Juvenile Leukemia

Chinese People’s Association for Friendship, Shanhai/Beijing

Chinese Red Cross

Christoffel Blindenmission, Austria

Council for Jewish Elderly

Ein Gedi Kibbutz, Jerusalem

Fairygodmother Foundation

Garden of Hope / Human Trafficking, Taipei City, Taiwan

Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships, Chicago

Habitat for Humanity, Lake County, IL

Hanbit School for the Blind

Hands of Peace

Hermitage Theater Benefit for Young Boy’s Urgent Medical Needs

Holocaust Survivors Pension Fund, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem

Homeless Shelters, Copenhagen, Denmark

Hook Norton Cathedral, Windsor, UK

Illinois State Bar Association

International Centre for the Delhi Music Society

Island of Paros, Greece, Parthenon Marbles Initiative

Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami Victims, Osaka, Japan

Jewish United Fund

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

Konstantinov Palace Fundraiser for Sunrise Foundation

Lemon Creek Correctional Facility Prison Ministry

Local Orphanages, St. Petersburg, Russia

Mayors for Peace, Hiroshima, Japan

Nassaukerk Benefit for Homeless and Drug Addiction

National Academy of Music, Hanoi

National Music Conservatory, Egypt

National Library, Bucharest, Romania

Northern Light Church Replacement Project

Parkinson’s Disease Society, London, UK

Peace in the Middle East: Israel, Egypt, Jordan

Shanghai Food Depository

Sharing and Happiness Hospital, Busan, South Korea

Siem Reap, Cambodia, Educational System

Social Concerns Committee, Paris

South Africa Hospital Benefit

Special Olympics Korea

St. Petersburg International Society for Cooperation

Sue Ryder Foundation, Czech Republic

Sunrise Foundation

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk for the Cure

Ticho House, Jerusalem

U.S. Consulate, Hamburg, Germany

U.S. Consulate, Saint Petersburg, Russia

U.S. Embassy in Mexico

U.S. Ambassador’s residences in Tbilisi, Georgia, Canberra, Australia, Ulan Bator, Mongolia and
Amman, Jordan

U.S.O., Troops coming out of Iraq

Universidad Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Universite Finis Terrae, Santiago Chile, Musicians Fund

YWCA Week Without Violence

 

Press

Volgograd City Newspaper, Американский пианист призвал волгоградских музыкантов к миру и дружбе Read more

Volgograd Tourism Bureau, Pianist Mark Damisch brought to Volgograd a message of peace and friendship from the United States Read more

Volgograd Tourism Bureau, 28.09.2017 Пианист Марк Дэмиш привез в Волгоград послание мира и дружбы из США  Read more

Vologograd City Council Web Article, Американский пианист и общественный деятель выступил в Волгограде с посланием мира и дружбы   Read more

Daily Northshore, “Former Northbrook Mayor Takes On World Stage” Read more

Chicago Tribune, “Northbrook Pianist Mark Damisch to Kick Off International Tour”   Read more

The Washington Post:  “Chicago Lawyer’s Second Act”  Read more

Chicago SunTimes, “His Next Campaign:  Village President Plans Tour As Concert Pianist”  Read more

Chicago Tribune, “Northbrook Leader Juggles Varied Roles”  Read more

Northwestern University Alumni Life:  “Mark Damisch: Peaceful Pianist”    Read more

Northbrook Arts Commission, “Spotlight on Mark W. Damisch”   Read more

Chicago Trib Local, “Damisch Family Takes Music Overseas”   Read more

AARP The Magazine, “A Pianist Who Plays for Charity”  Read more

Chicago Tribune, “Suburban Leader Finds Ways to Mix Politics, Piano”  Read more

The Phenom Penh Post, “Peace Pianist to Play in Sofitel”  Read more

Russian Cultural Center, “The Concert of Russian and American Concert Music”  Read more 

Thanhnien News, “American Father-Daughter Combo to Give Piano Recital in Hanoi”     Read more

Embassy of the United States, “Peaceful Pianist Mark Damisch and his two daughters visited Mongolia as part of his 2012 Asia Tour”  Read more

Forest & Bluff Magazine, “An Afternoon of American Classical Music”  Read more

Pravda Ru, “Pianist and Northbrook Village President Mark W. Damisch Announces Plans for Eastern European Concert Tour and Chicago Theater Concert”   Read more

Voice of America.com, “Chicago Musician Travels to Mideast, Plays in Israel, West Bank”  Read more

Daily News Egypt, “An American Pianist in Egypt”  Read more

 

Contact Mark