Alexander (Lexo) Toradze

Alexander (Lexo) Toradze (born May 30, 1952), classical concert pianist, best known for his classical Russian repertoire, with career spanning over three decades. He is a professor of piano at Indiana University South Bend. Original, vintage, pen and ink, "on-the-spot" illustration by George 'Georges' Krishizki. The hand drawn illustration has been signed by Toradze and additionally signed, titled and dated by Krishizki: "Georges / 1986 / Alexander Toradze playing Trois Mouvements de 'Petrouchka' by Igor Stravinsky."

Toradze has performed with virtually every major orchestra in the United States, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Minnesota, Houston, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Seattle, and Washington, D. C. He has also appeared with the symphonies of Montreal and Toronto, and abroad with the Kirov Orchestra, St. Petersburg, Israel and La Scala philharmonics,; Bayerische Rundfunk Orchester; Orchestre Nation de France; City of Birmingham Symphony; London's Symphony, Philharmonic and Philharmonia Orchestras; and the orchestras of Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Italy.

George 'Georges' Krishizki (March 22, 1924 – December 20, 2001), Russian-Polish-American illustrator who came to the U.S. in 1949. While he earned acclaim for his renderings of the city’s architectural landmarks, it was his on-the-spot drawings of musicians in performance that attracted an especially appreciative audience. In a 1973 article published in conjunction with two simultaneous exhibitions, Georges explained the genesis of his long-running engagement with the concert hall: “I’ve always enjoyed going to concerts, and one day I decided it would be fun to combine my interests in music and art and make sketches of musicians during performances.”  Indeed, the most remarkable feature of Georges’ oeuvre, apart from the astounding range of performers who gladly expressed their approval and appreciation by signing, is the skill with which the drawings are accomplished.

This original pen and ink illustration, measuring approximately 9 x 10.5, on heavy-weight sketch paper, is in fine condition with some toning/age to its bottom right hand corner. Its verso is blank and clean.