Britt Orchestra / Jeffrey Biegel

Saturday, August 7, 2010 • 8 p.m.

GINASTERA	Variaciones concertantes, Op. 23
PROKOFIEV	Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26
BEETHOVEN	Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 "Eroica"

Jeffrey Biegel enjoys a multi-faceted career as a pianist, composer and arranger. He’s praised by many for his energetic playing, adventurous spirit and electrifying technique. In addition to performing the great standard works, Biegel has championed new works.

In 1997, Biegel performed the first global real audio/video cybercast piano recital from New York’s Steinway Hall, and followed that with the first such European cybercast from Amsterdam. In 1999, he assembled t he largest consortium of orchestras at the time (27 orchestras) to celebrate the millennium with a new work called “The Millennium Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra,” composed for him by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.

He has also created new arrangements and editions of works by composers including Schumann, Balakirev and Billy Joel. Biegel and his son Craig co-composed “The World In Our Hands,” a reflection of the events of 9-11 with a vision for hope and peace. It has been performed in Africa, Ireland and throughout the U.S. For more information, visit http://www.jeffreybiegel.com

4.7/5 Stars (3 votes)

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Reviews:

Posted Aug 10, 2010 at 02:32 AM By Britt Patron

Great selection. The Ginastera piece had many interesting solo parts, which varied with the parts for the full orchestra (it was interesting that the piece was a concerto, yet the full orchestra was on stage). J. Biegel has played with the Rogue Valley Symphony 3 times, I think, and he played the Prokofiev concerto spectacularly well. It seemed to be very difficult to play, to say the least. The Beethoven just didn’t do it for me, for some reason, though I am sure that the orchestra played it as well as they play the other pieces. I especially couldn’t figure out the second movement. It seemed like a lot of musical ideas but not “organized” so well. Then again, who am I to criticize Beethoven?!

Posted Aug 18, 2010 at 04:16 PM By Britt Patron

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this concert. It was a great program. I echo the praise for Mr. Biegel. I have a recording by Evgeny Kissin and I have heard an on-line version by Maratha Argerich and found nothing wanting in his performance in comparison.

I also want to commend Britt for the way it is handling the pre-concert talks this season. It was such a treat to have the soloist graciously appear before the performance and share so much. I learned a lot about Mr Biegel I had never known. And Don Matthews did a masterful job of asking intelligent and revealing questions. I imagine this format only works when the soloist is willing to participate but I sure hope all pre-concert talks in the future can follow this format.