Maurice Peress

Maurice Peress (born March 18, 1930), American orchestra conductor, educator and author. Original, vintage, pen and ink, "on-the-spot" illustration by George 'Georges' Krishizki. The hand drawn illustration has been signed by Peress and additionally signed, dated and titled by Krishizki: "Georges / 1977 / Maurice Peress conducting Kansas City Philharmonic."

Maurice Peress has extensively conducted orchestras internationally, including the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1980, the Vienna State Opera in 1981, the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia of Rome in 1988, the Brno Orkester of the Czech Republic in 1997, the FOK Orkester at the Prague Spring Festival in 1988, the Shanghai Radio and Television Orchestra in 1996-97, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 1998, and the Barbican Centre Orchestra in London in 1999. In the 2000s, he has toured extensively in China, leading the Shanghai Opera Orchestra, the China National Symphony in Beijing and the Shenzhen Symphony. As of 2009, he is the music director and conductor of the New Britain Symphony Orchestra in New Britain, Connecticut.

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 12, on heavy-weight sketch paper, is in fine condition with some light overall toning. Its verso is blank and clean.