A Composer's Corner

John Albert Thomas is a solo piano composer and recording artist specializing in trauma-informed piano music. His solo piano music has been described as quiet, meditative and peaceful, soothing the soul. It is a unique blend of Contemporary Classical, Christian, and New Age Piano genres. Inspired by real people, John seeks to recognize their uniqueness and worth through original music, and to expr...

Do you enjoy classical compositions? Ever wonder how composers approach writing music? Join us for an interesting interview with a composer of classical music, Erik Lindgren. Erik’s education includes Tufts University, University of Iowa, and London’s Guildhall School of Music where he had opportunities to study with T.J. Anderson, Alfred Nieman, Donald Jenni, Richard Hervig, Peter Lewis and other...

Rapper Ethan Cohen, aka Emoney, posted his first single on his YouTube channel (Emoney Music) in 2010 titled "Emoney- People Are Crazy." In 2017 he starred in the sixth season of the reality show ARE YOU THE ONE (AYTO) on MTV. He has been releasing a variety of rap music and videos all this time and often writes his own music as well. Ethan is from Sonoma, CA. He has worked behind the scenes on no...

Gary declared to his parents when he was six that he would be a pianist when he grew up. Incredibly, the dream came through and he has been writing, recording, and performing now for more than 30 years. His journey started in classical piano. But as time went on, he found himself evolving deeper into the meditative side of music and striving to provide a much-needed musical oasis for our times. Wh...

Jacob “NTHNL” Rudin is a classically trained composer and pianist turned multi-flutist, producer and sound-healing practitioner. Having created electronic and acoustic music in a wide variety of contexts since 2012, Jacob works in both the healing and contemporary music worlds, drawing on a rich sonic practice that involves experimental sound design, field recording, and virtuosic performances on...

Philip Wesley, is an award-winning and best-selling solo piano artist. His compositions, which have featured prominently in radio, TV, and film, resonate with listeners worldwide and are easily accessible on platforms such as Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon. Wesley has achieved impressive chart-topping success, including reaching #1 on iTunes and multiple Billboard charts. He started out as a...

Didi Stewart is an associate professor in the Voice Department at Berklee College of Music. A two-time winner of the Boston Music Award for best female vocalist, Stewart has been a longtime fixture on the Boston music scene. Her first original rock band, Didi Stewart and the Amplifiers, recorded the album Begin Here for Kirshner/Epic Records in 1983. Her second band, Girls' Night Out, was one of t...

Join Andrew Celentano, a talented local pianist and composer himself, for an interesting interview with David Vess: a composer, conductor, and musician, previously based in New England and how hailing from Florida. His music has been characterized by a sensitivity to sonority and unrelenting energy. His music has been commissioned and performed in the US, Canada, Italy, and Japan. He studied with...

Leonard Bernstein said of pianist Jeffrey Biegel: "He plays fantastic Liszt. He is a splendid musician and a brilliant performer." These comments helped launch his career. He was chosen as the first pianist to record for the Steinway & Sons recording label. His 'Bach On a Steinway' debuted #3 on the Classical Billboard charts, followed by 'A Steinway Christmas Album' reaching the #1 spot on th...

You have probably heard of Keith Jarrett – an amazing Jazz player. But did you know he has an equally talented brother?!? I didn’t either. I met Chris online recently and checked out his 16+ CDs. His genre is more modern and classical. His technique is pyrotechnic and he has an avant-garde approach that is refreshing. He now lives in Germany and is married to concert pianist Martina Cukrov Jarrett...

In this Composer's Corner Interview with Andrew Celentano, Dianne features her wonderful Christmas arrangements imbedding traditional Christmas music with the compositions of Chopin and Debussy. Dianne Davies explores the deeper meaning of music and human connection through a shared experience. Since earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Piano Performance and earning Oregon music education certific...

Join Interviewer Andrew Celentano, a New England pianist and composer himself, as he interviews composer, Dr. Elizabeth R. Austin. Learn about her musical beginnings to becoming a talented contemporary classical composer with compositions ranging from solo piano pieces to chamber music to orchestral works to operas. Elizabeth’s education includes The Peabody Conservatory, The Conservatoire America...

Betty Wishart began composing while studying piano with Richard Bunger. After earning degrees in piano performance from Queens University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she pursued studies in both piano and composition in New York City. Since her music was first published, her music has been performed in France, Germany, Greece, Italy, England, Russia, South Korea, and throug...

Kimberly StarKey, also known as The Rogue Pianist, is a multi award-winning classically trained contemporary pianist, composer, and piano teacher born and raised in Southern Oregon's Rogue Valley. Her musical style can be described as powerful, radiant, and inspiring. Rooted in both romantic-classical and contemporary styles, her composition Approach to the Inmost Cave won Best Original Compositio...

How do composers approach writing music? Join Andrew Celentano for an interesting interview with Jeff Berlin, an American jazz fusion bassist. Berlin, born in Queens, New York, studied violin for ten years. Then at 15 years old, he was inspired to play bass after seeing the Beatles. He attended Berklee College of Music and came to international attention in 1977 when British musician/drummer Bill...

Phil Young composes music in various forms, including symphonic, chamber, electronic, vocal, and film. His ability fusing Chinese and western elements in his music enriches his originality. His music has been performed at music institutions and venues throughout the United States and all around the world including Shanghai, Germany, Russia, Hong Kong, Barcelona, and England. His music “Reverie” an...

I interviewed David in Dec 2022. Born and raised in the small sylvan town of Mendham, New Jersey, David Tolk studied classical piano from an early age with his mother, Marilyn Tolk, who is a graduate of The Juilliard School. During his teenage years, David became more interested in learning to play the music of Rush, Journey, Van Halen, Kansas, Genesis, Yes, and other bands on the piano and his Ko...

David Nevue is an internationally recognized pianist, composer, and recording artist. David has released seventeen albums of his original piano works and arrangements, including two "Piano Album of the Year" winners; Overcome (2005) and Winding Down (2015). His latest album of new works, 2019's In the Soft Light of Grace, went to #1 on both the Amazon.com and iTunes music sales charts for his genr...

Kevin Tracy was born and raised in Rhode Island and now lives in Connecticut. He has taught at many levels, from grade four up through “grade fourteen.” Mr. Tracy is a teacher, a conductor, and a composer of music in a variety of genres, including classical, jazz, funk, avant-garde, and heavy metal. For those musicians out there, we will hear a piece that was composed in the Locrian Mode and also...

Born and raised in Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Ireland, Áine Minogue is an award-winning harpist, singer, arranger and composer who has entertained Presidents and Prime Ministers, as well as traveled extensively to perform at concerts across the United States and around the world. At the age of 12, while at boarding school in County Galway, Áine discovered her true love - the harp. After comple...

Marti Epstein (November 25, 1959) started studying composition in 1977 with Professor Robert Beadell at the University of Nebraska. She has degrees from the University of Colorado and Boston University, and her principal teachers were Cecil Effinger, Charles Eakin, Joyce Mekeel, Bunita Marcus, and Bernard Rands. Marti’s music has been performed all over the world by ensembles, which include the Sa...

Pianist and composer Charu Suri treads fearlessly between genres, pulling global influences that range from the mood-anchoring Indian ragas, Sufi music, to the trio. Her ground-breaking albums, The Book of Ragas, and its sequel, The Book of Ragas vol. 2 have often elicited the response, "I've never heard this type of sound before." One of the few female composers from India to perform works at Car...

Christine Elise is a rising star in the music industry, gaining recognition for her emotionally powerful lyrics and distinctive vocal style. Based in Massachusetts, Elise has swiftly captured the attention of music enthusiasts with her evocative songwriting and dynamic stage presence. Christine Elise’s journey into music seems almost written in the stars. As the granddaughter of the illustrious It...

Ricker Choi has a successful career in financial risk management but his real loves are music and painting. Ricker began studying piano at age 13, after his family immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong. June 2019, he had a shocking awakening when 1 million, and then 2 million Hong Kongers marched in unity against the extradition law. Seeing Hong Kongers' bravery when faced with rampant police br...

J.J. Hollingsworth, who is of Native American descent, was born in Colorado Springs and has composed over one hundred works, including three musicals, a symphony, and a film score. JJ holds a masters degree in composition from the highly regarded San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Elinor Armer, one of California’s outstanding composers. She was named one of the 2000 outsta...