It’s easy for pianists to forget the modest ancestor of the modern piano. How easy to forget? So easy that I ended up learning to play organ before I even touched a harpsichord. And the organ requires far more adaptation and training (it’s the most multitasking-heavy instrument I’ve ever encountered). But then in the fall... Continue Reading →
Nikolai Kapustin (b. 1937) occupies a unique space in contemporary piano music. If you view his list of works on his Wikipedia page, you’ll see no less than 161 opuses, with a pretty consistent rate of production, particularly since 1999. If you browse YouTube, you’ll see dozens of videos of both professionals and amateurs playing... Continue Reading →
Several times a month I get the opportunity to look through newly released contemporary music publications, either through my own projects or those of my colleagues. As a composer myself and general new-music enthusiast, I figured I’d promote some of this music by living, working composers. Joan Tower has had a long, illustrious career, with... Continue Reading →
Hal Leonard Classical Piano Blog 