 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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Thursday, January 17, 2008
Rach 3--same weekend--different year
While flying into Charleston, South Carolina, I realized that in bringing the mercurial 'Rach 3' (Rachmaninov Third Piano Concerto) to Charleston, I had done the same in 2005 for the same weekend in January to the El Paso Symphony--which, by the way, has always been a top-class orchestra. Perhaps it is karma; I should make sure to book Rach 3 the same weekend every year! I am indeed excited about this collaboration with David Stahl, music director for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. It is actually Stuart Malina, music director now of the Harrisburg Symphony (and one of my best friends of all time!) whom I need to thank. After we did the Rach 3 in Greensboro in 1998, he told me he was suggesting me to David Stahl, as he was assistant conductor in Charleston in addition to his duties in Greensboro. Finally, ten years later, we will meet later today and rehearse the Rach 3. Maestro Stahl had called me from his cell phone from Germany, where he he conducts regularly, and said, 'I hear you play the best Rach 3, and we must do it together!' Of course, I said many pianists deliver a beautiful Rach 3--it's hard not to, such amazing music. I agreed on the spot. I'll report back after the experience, which I am looking forward to immensely. I was particularly taken by the beauty of the city of Charleston. Reminds me a bit of New Orleans, due to the history, and King Street, at times, reminds me of a mix of Flensburg, Germany and the Hamptons of Long Island! Very special, with a Euro-American feel. Shops closed at night, and streets were empty, much like in Europe.
posted by Jeffrey Biegel
7:57 AM
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