Michael Ponti's extensive recording activity and world-wide concert appearances as soloist, chamber music player (The Trio Ponti-Zimansky-Polasek was founded in 1977) and Lieder accompanist, including a Deutsche Grammophon recording of songs by Charles Ives with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, have established him as one of the most important pianists of his time.

Since 1968 an output of more than 80 records, including the complete works of Tchaikovsky, Scriabin and Rachmaninoff has received world-wide critical acclaim. High Fidelity Magazine was prompted to refer to him as "Ten pianists in one" and Germany's Fono Forum, Tokyo's Musica Viva and New York's FM Guide among others, featured him on their covers.

Hundreds of concerts and return engagements have made his art and name familiar to audiences in the great cities of the world: New York, London, Berlin, Paris, Vienna, Warsaw, Moscow, Rome, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, etc.

Ponti, who was born on October 29, 1937, studied piano from 1942 to 1955 in Washington D.C. with Professor Gilmour McDonald.

From 1955 to 1961 he continued his studies in Frankfurt with Professor Erich Flensch.

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