German pianist Gerhard Oppitz (b. 1953). In 1977, he was awarded first prize at the Arthur Rubinstein Competition in Israel, after convincing an international jury, with Rubinstein himself at its head, by performing the First Piano Concerto by Brahms and the Fifth Piano Concerto by Beethoven. This event marked the beginning of his worldwide concert activities. He is widely renown and respected for his programming major repertoire and cycles. Since 1981 Oppitz has been teaching post-graduate students at the Academy of Music in Munich.