Levi Hammer received the American Austrian Foundation’s AAF/Faber Young Conductors Fellowship in 2010, which enabled him to spend six weeks in Salzburg during the world-famous Salzburg Festival, where he attended opera, orchestra, and chamber music rehearsals featuring the world’s greatest artists. He also met many of the conductors and musicians performing in Salzburg during his stay, which has benefited his career.
He has conducted orchestras throughout the United States and Europe and brings extensive operatic experience, with a repertoire of more than 70 operas. He has also prepared acclaimed productions for major conductors including Lorin Maazel, Simon Rattle, Zubin Mehta, and Gustavo Dudamel.
As a pianist, Hammer performs as a concerto soloist, chamber musician, and art song collaborator. His repertoire spans from Baroque music to contemporary works and includes frequent performances of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier and Aaron Copland’s complete piano music. Fascinated by the music of George Gershwin, Levi has created a solo piano program entitled Gershwin in Vienna: George Gershwin and the Second Viennese School, which explores the historical and musical connections between Gershwin, Schoenberg, Berg and Webern. The program was recently recorded by the Berlin-based label Decurio, and the album will be released in early 2026. Through Gershwin in Vienna, Hammer unites American and Austrian musical traditions in a thoughtful and highly individual program.
Please join us on on February 18, 2026, when Levi will perform this special program at the Austrian Cultural Forum in New York. Tickets are available now.
Other performances include:
The CheckOut in Chicago on February 4, 2026
The Austrian Embassy in Washington, DC on February 9, 2026
The Austrian Embassy in Berlin on March 24, 2026.