 The career of pianist Jeffrey Biegel has been marked by bold, creative achievements and highlighted by a series of firsts.
He performed the first live internet recitals in New York and Amsterdam in 1997 and 1998, enabling him to be seen and heard by a global audience. In 1999, he assembled the largest consortium of orchestras (over 25), to celebrate the millennium with a new concerto composed for him by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. The piece, entitled 'Millennium Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra', was premiered with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In 1997, he performed the World Premiere of the restored, original 1924 manuscript of George Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' with the Boston Pops. Charles Strouse composed a new work titled 'Concerto America' for Biegel, celebrating America and honoring the heroes and events of 9-11. Biegel premiered the piece with the Boston Pops in 2002. He transcribed the first edition of Balakirev's 'Islamey Fantasy' for piano and orchestra, which he premiered with the American Symphony Orchestra in 2001, and edited and recorded the first complete set of all '25 Preludes' by Cesar Cui.
Currently, he is assembling the first global consortium for the new 'Concerto no. 3 for Piano and Orchestra' being composed for him by Lowell Liebermann for 2005-06-07. The World Premiere will take place with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andreas Delfs on May 12-14 2006, followed by the European Premiere with the Schleswig Holstein Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gerard Oskamp, February 6-9, 2007.
Biegel is currently on the piano faculty at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College, at the City University of New York (CUNY) and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY).
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Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Best of David Foster: Hit Songs for Solo Piano
Getting to know the genius producer/composer David Foster, I decided to re-create 17 of his best known songs as solo piano transcriptions after spending time with him on his beautiful Malibu estate. He is an amazing musician, loves classical music and plays piano in a natural and beautiful style that is uniquly his own. The only folks reading this blog that would be able to hear these songs would be owners of the PianoDisc player piano system. Since recording this project in January, 2004, we now have the go ahead for the 'Best of David Foster' release from PianoDisc--included are David's kind words about the project as well as my short bio:
Artist Series: Jeffrey Biegel - Best of David Foster Catalog #: PD/CD 2013. This exciting solo piano collection of David Foster's songs was created for the PianoDisc player piano system. Through PianoDisc's modern player technology, Mr.. Biegel plays these Foster favorites live on the piano. (Cannot be played on conventional audio CD players.)
Songlist:
Winter Games
Glory of Love
After The Love Has Gone
Look What You've Done To Me
Hard To Say I'm Sorry
Through The Fire
What About Me
you're The Inspiration
Love Theme- St. Elmo's Fire
Light The Fire Within
Saje
I Have Nothing
The Colour Of My Love
Remember Me This Way
The Power Of The Dream
My Grown Up Christmas List
The Prayer
Website is www.pianodisc.com
Contact is sales@pianodisc.com
"It is a great honor for me to have my compositions performed by one of the world's greatest and most talented pianists. Jeffrey Biegel's style and ability to understand the classical world and the pop world without compromise to either is perhaps his greatest gift.
I don't like to listen to my own pieces at all but, this is one time where I will definitely make an exception. Thank you Jeffrey for all the wonderful music and performances you have given to all of us."--david foster
Jeffrey Biegel has established himself as one of the most versatile artists on the stage today. He has consistently amazed audiences and critics throughout the world with his electrifying technique, elegant pianism, warmth and artistic maturity. Critics compare him to legendary pianists Cliburn, Lhevinne, Fleisher and Horowitz. With his acclaimed interpretations of standard repertoire, to his affinity for "Rare Gems of the Golden Age" and unique piano concerti (Duke Ellington, Keith Emerson, Leroy Anderson) he is placed among the front ranks of today's pianists.
Mr. Biegel has been the focus of two previous orchestral commissioning consortiums: Pulitzer Prize Winner Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Millennium Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra - Premiered in September, 2000 with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jesus Lopez-Cobos and performed by Mr. Biegel with 27 consortium member orchestras throughout the United States during the 2000-05 seasons, and Broadway legend Charles Strouse’s Concerto America for Piano and Orchestra.
In addition, American composer Richard Danielpour will compose a new work for Mr. Biegel, tentatively titled "Concerto for Piano & Percussion" (5 players and piano). This new composition is slated for premieres in the 2006-07 season with the esteemed Canadian percussion ensemble, Nexus. His solo piano transcriptions of Josh Groban's first cd songbook plus three selections from 'Closer', Mr. Groban's second cd songbook, will be released in 2005 by PianoDisc. He is also an avid composer of choral music, as several of his compositions are published by the Hal Leonard Corporation. You can find much more about Mr. Biegel at his website - http://www.cyberecital.com/.
posted by Jeffrey Biegel
4:36 PM
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