If you took in the 2010 Joshua Bell concert for Tuesday Musical, a Knight Arts grantee, then you also were probably aware of the accompanist he had for the evening – Jeremy Denk. It will be Denk’s turn when he will perform a piano solo concert on February 4. According to TM officials, Denk has been recently named 2014 Instrumentalist of the Year by “Musical America,” which is one of classical music’s highest honors.

Jeremy Denk at the piano. Photo courtesy of Tuesday Musical

Describing the unique combination of achievements that led to Denk’s selection, “Musical America” noted: “His flourishing concert schedule, the second release in his Nonesuch recording contract (Bach’s “Goldberg Variations”), his widely read blog called ‘Think Denk,’ and articles for The New Yorker, which led to a Random House book commission, attest to his multi-faceted artistry.”

TM notes that the announcement crowned a sensational fall season for the pianist, who won a 2013 MacArthur “genius grant” Fellowship in September, and whose recording of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” topped the Billboard Classical Albums and Traditional Classical Albums charts.

The MacArthur Fellows Program awards unrestricted $625,000 fellowships to talented individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and the potential for even more significant contributions in the future.

Denk’s recording of J.S. Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” has now been named one of iTunes’ Best of 2013.

Jeremy Denk, pianist. Photo courtesy of Tuesday Musical

Denk has a full year coming with a schedule that is impressive. He will return to Carnegie Hall in recital, as part of a 13-city tour of the country, as well as give a performance of Bach’s complete set of six keyboard concertos in a single evening with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

Denk is known for his original and insightful writing on music, praised by Alex Ross for its “arresting sensitivity and wit.” Denk’s writing (both articles and reviews) has appeared in The New Yorker, New Republic, and on the front page of The New York Times Book Review.

TM officials said that his website, “Think Denk,” recounting his experiences of touring, performing, and practicing, was recently selected for inclusion in the Library of Congress Web Archives.

Denk’s program for Tuesday will include selections from Robert Schumann, Gyorgy Ligeti, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Jeremy Denk will perform for Tuesday Musical at 7:30 p.m. on February 4 in E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, 198 Hill St., Akron; 330-972-7570; www.tuesdaymusical.org. Tickets range in price from $25-$45.