Quotes From Reviews
"...a pianistic 'devil's violinist'..."
Trierischer Volksfreund (Germany) (WT) October 8, 2002.
"...an unprecedented fascinating event..."
Osnabrücker Zeitung and Meller Kreisblatt (Germany) (SM) March 1, 2001.
"He was able to convince completely with his virtuosity."
Trierischer Volksfreund (Germany) (GWK) June 25, 2002.
"...poetic playing rarely heard from young performers."
Saint Louis Post Dispatch (USA) (ST) November 23, 1993.
"...a color-play of sound and sparkling pianistic intellect."
Trierischer Volksfreund (Germany) (WT) October 8, 2002.
"As if he was sleepwalking, he scurried over the keyboard and drew the audience under his spell."
Osnabrücker Zeitung and Meller Kreisblatt (Germany) (SM) March 1, 2001.
"...storms of applause, the likes of which I have rarely heard."
Trierischer Volksfreund (Germany) (HK) July 19, 2002.
"...(he) has a beautiful singing tone..."
Saint Louis Post Dispatch (USA) (ST) November 23, 1993.
"He plays with an ease the most difficult passages--simply fantastic."
Trierischer Volksfreund (Germany) (IL) July 24, 2002.
BIOGRAPHY
The American classical pianist Phoenix, now living in Germany, has made the works of the romantic composers his main focus. His performances are characterized by his "technical brilliance and excellent virtuosity" which led to remarks such as, "As if he were sleep-walking, he scurried over the keyboard and drew the audience under his spell." Yet it is not just his virtuosity that captures the audience's attention but also his "beautiful, singing tone" and "poetic playing rarely heard from young performers."
The year 2003 will see him releasing a third album, a live recording of the February 2003 concert at the Thürmer Saal in Bochum, Germany. He is also going to be performing at the Mosel Festwochen music festival with the Camerata Cusana string orchestra at Kloster Machern, Zeltingen, Germany in September.
In 2002, he already played two well-received concerts in the Mosel Festwochen and released his second CD "Elements," the follow-up to 1999's "Timescape." He has previously performed in England, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States. Phoenix, a native of Kentucky who holds a master's degree from Central Missouri State University, "is proof that talent trained locally can be of a quality comparable to that found in the hallowed music schools to the East."3
It is Phoenix's "extraordinary pianism"3 which makes his performing "an unprecedented fascinating event."2
[written by V. Weston]
1 Trierischer Volksfreund, June 25, 2002, article by Gerhard W. Kluth, translated by V. Weston.
2 Osnabrücker Zeitung and Meller Kreisblatt, Osnabrück and Melle, Germany, March 1, 2001; Article written by Steffen Meyer. English translation by Vera Weston.
3 Saint Louis Post Dispatch, Saint Louis, Missouri (USA), November 23, 1993; Article by Sue Taylor.
Education Indiana State University
Central Missouri State University (BM--MA)
York University (UK) non-degree
Past Teachers
Mildred Cook
Dr. Gavin Doughty
Amy Holloway
Dr. William Hughes (student of Barry Snyder) (ISU)
Dr. Wesley True (student of Leon Fleisher) (CMSU)
Dr. Richard Smith (student of Jack Guerry) (CMSU)
Charles Hopkins (student of György Cziffra) (Manchester, UK)
Background Information
Performances in England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, United States
Release of first CD "Timescape" 1999
Release of second CD "Elements" 2002
2 Concerts at Moselfestwochen 2002
Current Activities
and Future Plans
Performs on monthly basis at Kurgastzentrum--Bernkastel Kues
(Germany)
Concert at Thürmer-Saal (Bochum, Germany) Feb. 15, 2003
Concert with Camerata Cusana String Orchestra
Moselfestwochen (Music Festival) Zeltingen, Germany
Sept. 21, 2003
Mozart K. 414 Liszt Malediction
Release of third CD planned for April 2003
Related Experience
1991-1993 Instructor, Lincoln University of Missouri.
1993-1995 Director of Keyboard Studies, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
FAQ
Q. How did you come to have the name Phoenix?
I've always approached music with the attitude, "How would I play this if it was my own composition?". I try to reincarnate the composer at the piano, so this rebirthing idea was already there. I just decided to take it one step further. These days it's the only name that I use or even hear.
Q. When did you start to play the piano?
When did I start to play, or when did I start to study? There's an old picture of me sitting at the piano when I was 18 months old. I'm looking at the music rack with my hands on the keyboard. But that doesn't mean anything. I've heard of pianists that say that they started when they were like two, but you can't really teach a two-year-old how to play the piano--the cognitive skills just aren't there yet. I started studying the piano when I was about 5.
Q. How much do you practice?
All the time, even right now. I have music constantly going through my head. Drives me nearly insane at times, but I remind myself that I'm just practicing when that happens. I hesitate to give numbers when it comes to being at the piano because that can vary from 20 minutes to 14 hours.
Q. Who are your favorite composers for the piano?
Liszt, Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Ravel, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven. The romantics.
Q. So you just listen to the romantic era?
No, I listen to ALL kinds of music, from traditional Japanese to progressive rock, but for concert programming I much prefer the romantics.
Q. Which pianists most inspire you?
Leon Fleischer (the Yoda/Abiwan Kenobi of the piano), André Watts (Luke Skywalker --continuing with that comparison) , and Gary Graffman would figure very highly on that list. I listen to a great many others, but those three inspire me the most.
Q. What is your "dream" piano?
A piano with a very gutsy bass, mellow mid-section and a bright top register. The una corda pedal would have to be very pronounced. Some pianos have an una corda pedal that doesn't make any difference in the sound. I used to prefer a stiff action, but these days I think that my "dream" piano would have an action so light that you'd just have to look at the keys for them to go down. But, there aren't any pianos that I won't play.
Q. Do you prefer studio or live recordings?
Both have advantages and disadvantages. Studio recordings allow you to make a near-perfect recording, but I really don't like all the "cut and tape" that you have to do, although we do that digitally these days. I prefer live recordings because of the electricity that is generated from the audience. Of course, the draw-back is that if you make too many mistakes, you're stuck with it.
Q. Do you listen to your own recordings?
I haven't listened to either the "Timescape" or the "Elements" CDs since they were released. I've had to hear parts of them because my wife likes to play it at times. I have to put ear-plugs in when she does that though. I prefer not listenings to my recordings after their release because the interpretation changes within six months and then I am wanting to rerecord the thing, which isn't very practical. I do record and listen to myself during practice and rehearsal sessions and I find that very enlightening.
Q. What do you do with your free-time?
I do Yoga, meditation and I like to read a wide variety of books. Everything from classical literature to Mickey Mouse. I don't think that there is anything that I would NOT read, except anything violent. I am very heavily into Yoga and Transcendental meditation and vegetarian cooking.
Q. Any long-term music goals?
To make classical music more appealing and accessible to a wider demographic and for concerts to have more of an Event character.
Check out the artist's website:
http://hometown.aol.com/phoenixpiano/Track List:
1. Scarlatti: Sonata in B minor, L. 33
2. Scarlatti: Sonata in D minor, L. 422
3. Liszt: Transcendental Etude no. 4
4. Liszt: Transcendental Etude no. 5
5. Liszt: Transcendental Etude no. 10
6. Liszt: Paganini Etude no. 3 (La Campanella)
7. Rachmaninoff: Prelude, Op. 3 no. 2
8. Rachmaninoff: Prelude, Op. 32 no. 10
9. Rachmaninoff: Etude Tableau, Op. 33 no. 2
10. Rachmaninoff: Etude Tableau, Op. 33 no. 8
11. Rachmaninoff: Etude Tableau, Op. 39 no. 5
12. Phoenix: Timescape
Suggested CDs:
Other Genres:
