Greg Anderson (pianist)
Encyclopedia
Greg Anderson is an American
pianist
, composer
, video producer, and writer
. Greg's mission, as declared on his website, is to "make classical piano music a relevant and powerful force in society."
studies at the age of seven. He soon became a student of Kim Craig, with whom he studied for eleven years at the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music. Craig encouraged Anderson to compete in regional piano competitions and participate in music festivals. During his high school years, he attended the Aspen Music Festival and the Bowdoin
Summer Music Festival. He also sat as concertmaster
of the Stillwater Area High School
Orchestra.
At the age of 18, Anderson moved to Manhattan
to study with Julian Martin at The Juilliard School. He attended Pianofest in the Hamptons
and the Banff
Keyboard Festival during his undergraduate years. During this period in his life, Anderson was influenced heavily by the intense energy at Juilliard and the friends he made there, including Elizabeth Joy Roe (who would become his piano duo partner), The 5 Browns
, Helen Huang
, and other members of Anderson's piano class. One of Anderson's most frequently cited memories from Juilliard is his piano class's creation of a musical production entitled "Life between the keys," which chronicled life at Juilliard and highlighted the camaraderie among members of the piano class, dispelling rumors of cut-throat competition at the conservatory.
Anderson received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from Juilliard in 2004 and 2006. Of note, he was also awarded the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke
Scholarship in 2004. He then studied with Peter Frankl
in the Master of Musical Arts (MMA) program at the Yale School of Music
, where he is now pursuing a Doctoral degree. Aside from his work in academic settings, Anderson also has a long history of studying with distinguished pianist and pedagogue Aiko Onishi.
phenomenon, in which the performer engages the audience and encourages questions, comments, and participation, is the quintessential musical experience. Thus, many of his concerts include these elements.
The duo's partnership has been characterized as “the intense synchronization of genius” and "the most innovative piano duo around." They are widely known for their daring four-hand piano technique, as described by the Southampton Press:
"Their hand movements and the intertwining of arms, and it seemed at times of fingers, was elaborately and brilliantly choreographed. There were times when their hands seemed magically to occupy the same space, though they were playing different notes. The entire process was a small ballet of the hands, as wonderful to watch as to hear."
's The Devil's Staircase and Bach
's Sheep May Safely Graze, were two of the first videos he ever produced, and he clearly envisioned them as complementary works. During the introduction to the Ligeti
, Anderson instructs listeners: "Imagine you're in hell and you want out." In the Bach
video, on the other hand, he instead instructs listeners: "Imagine you're in heaven and all is at peace." These videos demonstrate that Anderson believes in contextualizing classical music for his listeners. This will become a theme in his later works.
In summary, as Jay Wilson blogs, Anderson and Roe's videos "explore the narrative suggested by the music they play, [and they] allow the viewer access to the physical element of piano duetting."
Anderson's works have been premiered in such venues as the Rose Bowl
, Alice Tully Hall
, and the Grand National Theater in China
. His compositions for The 5 Browns
have appeared on the EMI
, Sony/BMG, and E1 Entertainment record labels. His compositions are published by Awkward Fermata Press.
composers. There are also forums that recommend how audience members can best listen to classical music and forums that solicit advice from visitors on the same topic. Each website also includes biographies in two forms: a classic form and a choose-your-own-adventure form, which seems to espouse Anderson's reverence for audience and fan participation in all walks of life.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, video producer, and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. Greg's mission, as declared on his website, is to "make classical piano music a relevant and powerful force in society."
Early years, education, and piano studies
Born in St. Paul, MN, Greg Anderson began his pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
studies at the age of seven. He soon became a student of Kim Craig, with whom he studied for eleven years at the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music. Craig encouraged Anderson to compete in regional piano competitions and participate in music festivals. During his high school years, he attended the Aspen Music Festival and the Bowdoin
Bowdoin
-Places:In the United States:* Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, Maine* Bowdoin, Maine, a town* Bowdoin Street , in Massachusetts** Bowdoin * Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, Montana...
Summer Music Festival. He also sat as concertmaster
Concertmaster
The concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...
of the Stillwater Area High School
Stillwater Area High School
Stillwater Area High School is a public school located in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota and is part of the Stillwater Area Public Schools - District 834...
Orchestra.
At the age of 18, Anderson moved to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
to study with Julian Martin at The Juilliard School. He attended Pianofest in the Hamptons
Hamptons
The Hamptons may refer to several villages and hamlets in the towns of Southampton and East Hampton on the far east end of Suffolk County in Long Island, New York. These townships occupy the South Fork of Long Island, stretching into the Atlantic Ocean. The Hamptons form a popular seaside resort,...
and the Banff
Banff, Alberta
Banff is a town within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located in Alberta's Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, approximately west of Calgary and east of Lake Louise....
Keyboard Festival during his undergraduate years. During this period in his life, Anderson was influenced heavily by the intense energy at Juilliard and the friends he made there, including Elizabeth Joy Roe (who would become his piano duo partner), The 5 Browns
The 5 Browns
The 5 Browns are a classical piano musical group consisting of five siblings. Their repertoire includes mostly popular classical tunes, such as George Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee and Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King.-Background:In...
, Helen Huang
Helen Huang
Helen Huang, born October 1982 is a classical pianist and former musical prodigy. She began studying piano in 1987, performing and touring with major symphony orchestras while still a child.-Musical career:...
, and other members of Anderson's piano class. One of Anderson's most frequently cited memories from Juilliard is his piano class's creation of a musical production entitled "Life between the keys," which chronicled life at Juilliard and highlighted the camaraderie among members of the piano class, dispelling rumors of cut-throat competition at the conservatory.
Anderson received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from Juilliard in 2004 and 2006. Of note, he was also awarded the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke
Jack Kent Cooke was a Canadian entrepreneur and former owner of the Washington Redskins , the Los Angeles Lakers , and the Los Angeles Kings , and built The Forum in Inglewood, California and FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.-Early career:Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Cooke moved with his family to...
Scholarship in 2004. He then studied with Peter Frankl
Peter Frankl
Peter Frankl is a Hungarian-born British pianist. He mainly performs music from the Classical period , the Romantic period and the early Modern period...
in the Master of Musical Arts (MMA) program at the Yale School of Music
Yale School of Music
The Yale School of Music is one of the twelve professional schools at Yale University and one of the premier music conservatories in the world....
, where he is now pursuing a Doctoral degree. Aside from his work in academic settings, Anderson also has a long history of studying with distinguished pianist and pedagogue Aiko Onishi.
Solo activities
Anderson performs as a solo artist around the world. He is known for his exciting thematic programming which runs the gamut from standard piano solo repertoire to his own compositions and arrangements. Anderson believes that the salonSalon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
phenomenon, in which the performer engages the audience and encourages questions, comments, and participation, is the quintessential musical experience. Thus, many of his concerts include these elements.
Duo activities
In addition to playing solo performances, Anderson concertizes with his piano duo partner Elizabeth Joy Roe. During 2010, they played concerts in at least 15 venues in the United States. They have achieved fame through their concerts, CDs, and, perhaps most significantly, their music videos (see below).The duo's partnership has been characterized as “the intense synchronization of genius” and "the most innovative piano duo around." They are widely known for their daring four-hand piano technique, as described by the Southampton Press:
"Their hand movements and the intertwining of arms, and it seemed at times of fingers, was elaborately and brilliantly choreographed. There were times when their hands seemed magically to occupy the same space, though they were playing different notes. The entire process was a small ballet of the hands, as wonderful to watch as to hear."
Solo videos
According to Anderson, producing music videos began as an experiment with the medium "for the fun of it." His two solo music videos, LigetiLigeti
Ligeti is a Hungarian surname. Notable persons with the surname include:* András Ligeti , Hungarian violinist and conductor* Eva Ligeti, Canadian lawyer and the first Environmental Commissioner of Ontario...
's The Devil's Staircase and Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
's Sheep May Safely Graze, were two of the first videos he ever produced, and he clearly envisioned them as complementary works. During the introduction to the Ligeti
Ligeti
Ligeti is a Hungarian surname. Notable persons with the surname include:* András Ligeti , Hungarian violinist and conductor* Eva Ligeti, Canadian lawyer and the first Environmental Commissioner of Ontario...
, Anderson instructs listeners: "Imagine you're in hell and you want out." In the Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
video, on the other hand, he instead instructs listeners: "Imagine you're in heaven and all is at peace." These videos demonstrate that Anderson believes in contextualizing classical music for his listeners. This will become a theme in his later works.
Piano duo videos
Anderson also produces Anderson and Roe's music videos (all of which were produced after the aforementioned solo videos). The videos add several extra dimensions to Anderson and Roe's already stellar artistry. For example, as demonstrated in the video of Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos, visual cues express the alternation of orderly and chaotic sections of Mozart's music when video frames show a symmetric performance stage juxtaposed with a stage in which the pianos begin to flicker and even disappear. Other videos, such as the duo's version of Piazzolla's Libertango, demonstrate the sheer physicality, danger, and sexuality that four hands at one piano embody.In summary, as Jay Wilson blogs, Anderson and Roe's videos "explore the narrative suggested by the music they play, [and they] allow the viewer access to the physical element of piano duetting."
Composition
Anderson's oeuvre consists of arrangements, fantasies, and original compositions. Many of the works written for the piano duo are credited in concert programs and on CD notes as being by Anderson & Roe; however, ASCAP and the published scores list Anderson as the sole composer.Anderson's works have been premiered in such venues as the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
, Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assisted in the construction of the hall...
, and the Grand National Theater in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. His compositions for The 5 Browns
The 5 Browns
The 5 Browns are a classical piano musical group consisting of five siblings. Their repertoire includes mostly popular classical tunes, such as George Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee and Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King.-Background:In...
have appeared on the EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, Sony/BMG, and E1 Entertainment record labels. His compositions are published by Awkward Fermata Press.
Web publishing
The websites Greg has created (andersonpiano.com & andersonroe.net) are a form of artistic expression in themselves, while they also allow his fans to interact directly with him and the piano duo. The websites include comment boxes where visitors can suggest works for future performances, ask questions of the performers, and vote in polls regarding their favorite classical musicClassical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
composers. There are also forums that recommend how audience members can best listen to classical music and forums that solicit advice from visitors on the same topic. Each website also includes biographies in two forms: a classic form and a choose-your-own-adventure form, which seems to espouse Anderson's reverence for audience and fan participation in all walks of life.
Solo videos
Piano Duo videos
- Anderson: The Cat's Fugue video by musanim
- Anderson: Ragtime alla turca
- Bee-Gees/Anderson: "Turtle Stayin' Alive"
- Radiohead/Anderson: "Paranoid Android"
- Mozart: Sonata for Two Pianos in D major
- Saint-Saëns/Anderson: The Swan
- Strauss/Anderson: A New Account of the Blue Danube Waltzes
- Barber: Pas de deux
- Piazzolla: Libertango
- Anderson: Star Wars Fantasy - Impression I: "Cantina Band" for Two Pianos
- Anderson: Star Wars Fantasy - Impression I: "Force Theme" for Two Pianos
- Anderson: Star Wars Fantasy - Impression II: "March of the Ewoks" for Two Pianos
- Star Wars Fantasy - Impression IV: "Imperial March" for Two Pianos
Other videos
- Piazzolla/Anderson: Oblivion (for euphonium and piano) with Carl Berdahl
- YouTube MOONLIGHT Commentary!! (Sonata by Beethoven)
- Reimagine Trailer #1
- Reimagine Trailer #2
- Sabre Dance with Qing Jiang
- Blue Danube Fantasy Outtakes
- Pas de deux Outtakes
- Libertango Outtakes
Five pianos
Other
- Anderson G and Kaplan D (2007). "Interior Landscapes I & II" [Audio CD]. Connecticut, USA. Laderman ; Bagatelles, op 33 / Beethoven ; Concerto op 3 no 9 BWV 972 / [Vivaldi] ; arr. Bach ; Sarabande / Lully ; Menuet in A minor / Rameau.
- A live performance by the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo is featured on the "Sounds of Juilliard" CD celebrating the school's centennial year.
Solo piano
- Mathilde, Marieke, et Madeline (2010)
- Variation on "March of the Puritans" from Bellini's I puritani (2009)
- Piano Variations (2004)
- Etude No. 1: "Asimov vs. Huxley" (2003)
- life is more true than reason will deceive (2002)
- Piano Fantasy in D minor (1998)
Two piano
- Arne: "The Glitt'ring Sun" from The Morning (2010)
- Schumann: "Mondnacht" from Liederkreis, Op. 39 (2010)
- Carmen Fantasy (based on Bizet's Carmen) (2010)
- Mozart: "Soave sia il vento" from Cosi fan tutte (2010)
- Radiohead: "Paranoid Android" (2009)
- Bach: "Aus Liebe will mein Heiland Sterben" from St. Matthew's Passion (2009)
- Saint-Saëns: The Swan (2007)
- Danse macabre: remix (based on music by Saint-Saëns) (2007)
- Schubert: "The Crow" from Winterreise (2007)
- Daquin: The Cuckoo in Sussex (2007)
- Turtle "Stayin' Alive" (based on music by the Bee Gees) (2007)
- The Cat's Fugue (based on a fugue subject by Scarlatti) (2007)
- Williams: Star Wars Fantasy: Four Impressions for two pianos (2006)
- Bach: "Erbarme Dich" from St. Matthew's Passion (2005)
- Saint-Saëns: Danse Macabre (2002)
Piano Four Hands
- Stölzel/Bach: "Bist du bei mir," arranged for piano, four-hands AND simple treble melody (voice, violin, clarinet, etc.). E-flat major. Low melody pitch: E-flat above middle C. High melody pitch: two A-flats above middle C. (2010)
- Jackson: "Billie Jean" (2010)
- Gluck: "Ballet" from Orfeo ed Euridice (also known as "Melody") (2010)
- Kreisler: Tambourin Chinois (2009)
- Mozart: "Grand Scherzo," based on the Finale to Act I of Cosi fan tutte (2009)
- Rachmaninoff: "Vocalise" (2009)
- Fantasy on The Last Rose of Summer (2008)
- "Irish Tune from County Derry", arranged for piano, four-hands from the Grainger version for solo piano (2008)
- Debussy: Clair de lune (arranged for piano, six-hands) (2007)
- Khachaturian: Sabre Dance (2006)
- Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2005)
- Piazzolla: Libertango (2004)
- "A New Account of the Blue Danube Waltzes" (2004)
Piano Ensemble
- Three Waltzes for Five Browns: Disney Waltz Medley, for five pianos (2009)
- "Over the Rainbow: Fantasy for Five Pianos" (based on tunes from The Wizard of Oz by Harold Arlen) (2009)
- John Williams: "Star Wars: Suite for Five Pianos," arranged for five pianos (2009)
- Dario Marianelli: "Atonement," arranged for five pianos (2009)
- "Happy Times," a traditional Chinese folk song, arranged for five pianos (2008)
- Mozart: "Rondo alla turca," arranged for five pianos (2008)
- "Ragtime alla turca" for five pianos, based on Mozart's Rondo alla turca (2008)
- "Dance Macabre: Hootenanny for Five Pianos" based on Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre (2008)
- Holst: "The Planets: Suite for Five Pianos" -- I. Mars, The Bringer of War; II. Neptune, The Mystic; III. Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity. (2008)
- Debussy: Clair de lune (arranged for piano, six-hands) (2007)
- "Everybody Loves Somebody" arranged for 5 pianos and voice (2007)
- Rachmaninoff: "18th Variation" from Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, arranged for five pianos (2006)
- Fantasia on "Dives and Lazarus," for five pianos (2006)
- Anderson: "Sleigh Ride: A Holiday Excursion for Five Pianos" (2006)
- "The Star-Spangled Banner, and then some," for five pianos (2006)
Other
- Stölzel/Bach: "Bist du bei mir," arranged for piano, four-hands AND simple treble melody (voice, violin, clarinet, etc.). E-flat major. Low melody pitch: E-flat above middle C. High melody pitch: two A-flats above middle C. (2010)
- Piazzolla: Oblivion, arranged for Euphonium and Piano (2008)
- "life is more true than reason will deceive" for Soprano and Piano (2002)
- Sarabande for Violin and Piano (2001)
- French Overture for String Orchestra (1997)
Media Appearances
- MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Total Request LiveTotal Request LiveTotal Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
in a Harry PotterHarry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
competition (May 24, 2004) - MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's InternInternInternship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
on Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, published on 8 July 2000.The novel won a Hugo Award in 2001, the only Harry Potter novel to do so... - CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
Early Morning Show - Pianist Magazine
- Clavier Magazine
- NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's A Prairie Home CompanionA Prairie Home CompanionA Prairie Home Companion is a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor. The show runs on Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Central Time, and usually originates from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it is frequently taken on the road...
, From the TopFrom the TopFrom the Top is a national program and initiative to develop and showcase young classical musicians. It is best known for its NPR radio and PBS television programs hosted by pianist Christopher O'Riley, which celebrate the passion, dedication and personal stories of America's best young classical...
, Performance TodayPerformance TodayPerformance Today is a Peabody Award-winning classical music radio show, currently hosted by Fred Child. It is the most listened-to daily classical music radio program in the United States, with 1.2 million listeners on 237 stations...
, and All Things ConsideredAll Things ConsideredAll Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets... - WQXR RadioWQXR-FMWQXR-FM is an American classical radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey, and serving the New York City metropolitan area. It is the most-listened-to classical-music station in the United States, with an average quarter-hour audience of 63,000...
- WGBH RadioWGBH (FM)WGBH is a public radio station located in Boston, Massachusetts. WGBH is a member station of NPR and PRI. The license-holder is the WGBH Educational Foundation, which also owns WGBH-TV and WGBX-TV....
Live Performance on Oct 7, 2010
Miscellaneous endeavors
- Designing and organizing “Life Between the Keys,” a concert featuring the Juilliard Piano Class of 2004
- Broadway debut in 2005 playing the role of “Vernon Duke” in the musical Misia at New York City’s 42nd Street Playwright Horizons.
- Speaker/performer at 2008 and 2010 Entertainment Gatherings in Monterey, CA