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Concert pianist Michael Mizrahi is an advocate for contemporary classical music. “I’ve made it part of my mission as an artist to bring new music into the world,” said Mizrahi, the Frank C. Shattuck Professor of Music at Lawrence University.

His third solo piano album, Dreamspace, available June 14 on the Sono Luminus label, features new works from eight composers, three of whom have direct connections to Lawrence University. Joanne Metcalf, a composer whose work has been performed by ensembles such as Singer Pur and Gothic Voices, is a colleague in the Lawrence Conservatory of Music. She contributed a piece titled The Undreaming. Composers Evan Williams ’10 and David Werfelmann ’06 are alumni—Williams composed The Red Devil Dreams of Numbers and Werfelmann created Suite à l'antique.

“The longer I’ve been here, the deeper my connections have grown,” said Mizrahi, who has been on the Lawrence faculty since 2009.

Dreamspace is available as a CD and on vinyl, as well as on music streaming services.

Mizrahi has received acclaim for his artistic excellence and has performed at renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall and Tokyo’s Suntory Hall. He is a founding member of NOW Ensemble, which focuses on commissioning and performing new music by emerging composers. NOW Ensemble released its seventh album Before and After in 2021.

Mizrahi’s previous solo albums include The Bright Motion (2012) and Currents (2016), both featuring newly commissioned works for solo piano. Dreamspace was initially set to be recorded in 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I had a recording date booked and everything,” Mizrahi said. “But we all know how 2020 went.” Some pieces were written specifically for Mizrahi over the past decade.

“This album is a little more mellow than my other albums,” he noted. The title Dreamspace reflects this tone with several pieces referencing dreams or nighttime imagery.

Mizrahi emphasizes his mission to elevate new music: “It’s not just about playing it once; it’s about getting it out there for others to play.” He hopes some pieces will remain part of the repertoire even after 100 years.

The album includes works from Andrea Mazzariello, Mark Dancigers, Yiheng Yvonne Wu, Chiayu Hsu, and Alan Shockley—all composers with whom Mizrahi has previously connected.

“Those of us fortunate enough to play at a certain level should bring new works into the world,” Mizrahi stated. He stresses that performers should commission composers and premiere new works alongside traditional compositions like those by Chopin or Mozart.

Mizrahi holds degrees from the University of Virginia (bachelor’s) and Yale School of Music (master’s and doctoral). Beyond teaching, he fosters partnerships between Lawrence's Conservatory of Music and its community through initiatives like Music For All project that brings chamber music to underserved populations.

He also spearheaded two summer programs debuting in 2024: the Lawrence Summer Music Institute for advanced high school pianists and string players (July 14-21) and the Lawrence Chamber Music Festival for advanced instrumentalists ages 18+ (July 21-August 4).