Born in Magdeburg, Germany in 1923, Pressler and his family fled the Nazis in 1938 and settled in Israel, where he received his musical training. In 1946 he won the Debussy International Piano Competition. Since 1955, he has lived in Bloomington, Indiana, where he teaches at Indiana University.

His previous honors include three honorary doctorates, a lifetime achievement award from Gramophone magazine, Chamber Music America's Distinguished Service Award, and the Gold Medal of Merit from the National Society of Arts and Letters. Earlier this year, he was made a commander in France's Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.