Born Stephen Bishop in California (1940), the American pianist studied under Lev Schorr and Myra Hess before embarking on an international career in the early 1960s, with a memorable concert at London's Wigmore Hall. A gifted musician, he enjoyed success both on tour and on record, where his performances for the Philips label received rave reviews, notably the complete Mozart piano concertos at the turn of the 1970s. His extensive repertoire led him into the contemporary realm, including Michael Tippett's Piano Concerto, which he premiered between those of Richard Rodney Bennett and John Tavener. Married to Martha Argerich, this son of Yugoslav emigrants added his mother's name, Kovacevich, to his own, before using only the name of Croatian origin. Stephen Kovacevich then devoted himself to conducting. He founded the Australian Chamber Orchestra (1985-1990), then conducted the Irish Chamber Orchestra. In 2015, he released the 25-CD box set The Complete Philips Recordings.
