NEWS updated July 2010

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ROBERT SCHUMANN THIRD PIANO SONATA ALTERNATE FINALE PERFORMED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NORTH AMERICA

On July 20, at the Newport Music Festival, Fred performed Schumann's Third Sonata, along with the "outtakes", music that didn't make it into the final version. One of the works performed was an alternate Finale movement that had never been played in North America! Moyer, his uncle Paul E. Green, Jr., and nephew Rafael Green spent several months deciphering the manuscript which is located in a library in Stockholm. The piece lasts over five minutes and is complete except for a coda which Fred has added. The work is dramatic, explosive and even bizarre. In one place, it unmistakably quotes the opening phrase to Mozart's famous aria "La ci darem la mano". In another, it references a theme by Clara that Schumann uses in the slow movement of the Sonata No. 3. But where the theme, as Clara wrote it and as stated it in the slow movement, is quietly dignified and expressive in F Minor, in this Presto Possibile, it is introduced fortississimo in F Major.

This project follows on the heels of another by Paul Green and Fred which resulted in 2009 in their unveiling a fragmentary fourth piano sonata by Schumann, an event which was widely reported. Click here for more on that.

TWO NEW MUSIC INSTRUCTION BOOKS RELEASED

Fred and Music Minus One have justreleased the Clara Schumann piano concerto in A minor. As with all of Music Minus One’s offerings, this product will include the printed music (published by Breitkopf & Hartel), a CD of the full version with piano and the “minus” version without the piano. The Clara Schumann concerto can be heard on Fred’s 2008 release: Edward MacDowell & Clara Schumann: Two Piano Concerti.

Fred and his Jazz Arts Trio have joined forces with Hal Leonard Publications, the world's largest music publisher. In June “Jazz Classics” containing six of Fred’s transcriptions of great jazz performaces by Vince Guraldi, Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner, Horace Silver, and Bill Evans was released.  

FRED'S DEBUT PERFORMANCE AT THE NEWPORT MUSIC FESTIVAL

On July 19th and 20th, Fred made his debut performance at the Newport Music Festival, one of the country's most prestigious music festivals, especially for pianists.

He performed two recitals, one featuring his Jazz Arts Trio, and the other, an all-Schumann recital. The Schumann portion included the Fourth Sonata fragment and an alternate Finale to the Third Sonata, (mentioned above) as well as other seldom-played works of Schumann.

FRED FEATURED IN THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR 4/16/10

In a recent article, Indianapolis Star Entertainment writer Jay Harvey praises Fred for his efforts in helping Haitian violinist Romel Jospeh get the New Victorian School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, back up and running.

Read the Article

UPCOMING CONCERTS

Fred’s recent recitals have expanded the definition of piano recital. He now regularly plays piano concerti with a recorded orchestral accompaniment using software that he created to help him synchronize with the orchestra. This season's concerti with “invisible orchestra” have included the Rachmaninoff Third Concerto and Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto. He has also been playing programs called “Classical Jazz” which begin with classical pieces that demonstrate the strong classical roots of jazz and then end with bassist Peter Tillotson and drummer Peter Fraenkel joining him for note-for-note reinterpretations of great recorded improvisations by such jazz pianists as Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, and Herbie Hancock.

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“A first-class young pianist. His playing is clean, unmannered and full of ideas and intelligence.”

THE NEW YORK TIMES