Summer fun - ONLINE INTERVIEWS
My first summer highlight was sharing the virtual stage with my fellow international musicians for a fundraiser concert for UNICEF benefitting children in need. It was great fun to talk about the concert in a TV interview on WFMJ from my home studio.
MY TOP 10 Recordings
Every artist takes cues and influences from their surroundings. Listening to recordings is one of the most important cues in the development of an interpretation, a great tool for growth of one’s musicianship and technique.
Here are the ten recordings that influenced me most on my path as a musician.
My Top 10 Recordings - no. 10: Argerich/Gaspard
The Lioness of the Piano! When I listened the first time to Gaspard de la Nuit I was in my early teens and it was Martha Argerich’s recording
My Top 10 Recordings - no. 9: Brendel/Schubert
Alfred Brendel would have to be very high on the list of pianists who had a big influence on me.
My Top 10 Recordings - no. 8: Archerich/Bach
During my undergraduate years in Freiburg, Germany, I had a student subscription to a chamber music series featuring Martha Argerich relatively regularly.
My Top 10 Recordings - no. 7: Sokolov/Prokofiev 7
Grigory Sokolov’s 1969 two CD set features a selection of the monuments of piano repertoire including Stravinsky’s Petruchka, Schumann’s Carnaval and Prokofiev’s 8th and 7th sonatas.
My Top 10 Recordings - no. 6: Fischer/WTC
A gold standard recording of a set of pieces that are in themselves gold standards of music.
My Top 10 Recordings - no. 5: Perahia/Songs Without Words
I love well programmed and thematic recordings, which is why I enjoy this 1999 CD of Murray Perahia so very much.
My Top 10 Recordings - no. 4: Volodos/Carnegie Hall
Larger than life: Arcadi Volodos's Carnegie Hall debut recital in 1998. If you feel starved for live music, this is the album to hear.
My Top 10 Recordings - no. 3: Fischer-Dieskau/Winterreise
If someone were to asked me, what recordings I would take to a lonely island, I would put on top of my list Franz Schubert’s song cycle “Winterreise”
My Top 10 Recordings - no. 2: Anda/Bartok
Growing up in Germany and moving through the music conservatory system meant playing lots of Bartòk
My Top 10 Recordings - no. 1: Kempff/Kinderszenen
When I was about 5 or 6 years old my mom and I began listening together to music. We just sat and listened
Mendelssohn Musings - LEICHT UND LUFTIG
Today I would like to share with you some thoughts (and a performance!) of a piece I have been working on. This one is quite a discovery for me
GONDOLIERA - a time away from it all
It is so important to stay strong in these times of uncertainty. We need to keep taking good care of ourselves as we care for our loved ones.
SMALL AND LARGE FESTIVALS - Germany and China
In the first three weeks of the month I had the privilege of being faculty in two music festivals, one in Germany and one in China. What a difference!
SCANDINAVIA TOUR - going places with the WIND project
Greetings from my Scandinavia Tour! This November I was invited to perform three concerts in Norway.
PLAYING THE UNPLAYABLE - Franz Liszt’s “Erlkönig”
Last month I got to record the WIND project, which is now in production. Since then, I have been playing the WIND music in concerts in the US and Europe
RECORDING IN GERMANY - The WIND Project
This concert season started with a biggy - I recorded my new album WIND in Germany! We specifically chose a venue in Germany called Reitstadel, a historic building in the tiny town of Neumarkt
SUMMER INSPIRATION - bird watching
It’s summer time! For me this is a great time to take a breather and to recharge as the concert season winds down.
AUTUMN WINDS IN MAY - South Africa
Hello from the Southern Hemisphere! This marks my fifth visit to the campus of North West University in the city of Potchefstroom, South Africa.
