Staffan Scheja

Bo Staffan Scheja (born April 25, 1950), Swedish pianist and professor. Original, vintage, pen and ink, "on-the-spot" illustration by George 'Georges' Krishizki. The hand drawn illustration has been signed by Scheja and additionally signed, dated and titled by Krishizki: "Georges / 1977 / Staffan Scheja at Alice Tully Hall."

Staffan Scheja began studying piano at the age of nine and made ​​his public concert debut 14 years old with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Herbert Blomstedt and also with the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra under Jorma Panula. He studied from 1964-69 at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm Gunnar Hallhagen and from 1969-72 at the Juilliard School of the Performing Arts in New York for pianists Rosina Lhévinne, Ilona Kabos and Ania Dorfmann. He broke through as a teenager and became highly publicized as a "prodigy" and "first-side name" and he has since played the world's great stages with a variety of prominent orchestras and conductors . For several years he lived and worked in the USA performing in Carnegie Hall and the White House.

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.