HWS News
14 October 2026 George Abraham ’59 Marks 90th Birthday with Distinguished Pianists
The“Opus 90 Completed” recital brings together Abraham and three accomplished musicians whose performance and teaching careers span leading conservatories, universities and international concert stages.
Hobart and William Smith will celebrate alumnus George Abraham ’59 and his 90th birthday with a special duo piano recital featuring three distinguished pianists and Abraham himself on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in Froelich Hall of the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts.
Titled “Opus 90 Completed,” the concert will feature premieres, transcriptions and classical works for two pianos. The performers include Liu Liu, professor at the China Conservatory of Music; Cahill Smith, a faculty member at Utah State University; Alan Chow, professor of piano and chair of the Piano Department at the Eastman School of Music; and Abraham, an amateur pianist celebrating his milestone birthday alongside his musician friends.
The guest artists bring extensive international performance and teaching experience to the recital. Chow, a Steinway artist and award-winning pianist, has performed with orchestras and in recitals throughout the United States and Asia. Liu has appeared at prominent venues including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and is an advocate for contemporary Chinese music. Smith, an accomplished soloist and chamber musician, has performed internationally and is recognized for his interpretations of the music of Nikolai Medtner.
Admission is free. Attendees will have the opportunity to make a donation to the Mark and Mary Gearan Endowed Scholarship Fund that Abraham established in 2016.
A 1959 Hobart graduate, Abraham earned a bachelor of science in mathematics and chemistry before completing a master’s degree in mathematics in 1961 and an M.D. at the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1963. He went on to build a distinguished career in academic medicine and biomedical research at the University of Rochester, where he served in leadership roles including associate dean of research and director of the Center on Aging, the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center and the Medical Scientist Training Program.
Now Medical Center Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, and Pediatrics, Abraham has authored more than 100 scientific publications, contributed to three books and received three patents. His research has advanced understanding of cancer biology and contributed to the development of approaches to cancer treatment and stem-cell research. His national service has included leadership and advisory roles with the National Institutes of Health.
Abraham’s contributions extend beyond medicine to the arts and higher education. He has supported the acquisition and preservation of art in The Collections at Hobart and William Smith and served on boards and advisory committees for cultural organizations, including Garth Fagan Dance, the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester and the National Advisory Council of the Eastman School of Music. In 2005, HWS awarded him the President’s Medal in recognition of his commitment to HWS and his service to his community, country and profession.
The photo above features George Abraham '59 after giving a piano recital at Houghton House in 2014. The recital was held in conjunction with the opening of the exhibit "Continuum," which featured selections from Abraham's art collection.
