Gilbert Kalish facts for kids
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Gilbert Kalish (born July 2, 1935) is an American pianist. He is famous for playing and promoting the music of Charles Ives and other modern composers. He is also known for working with many other artists. A special partnership was his 30-year collaboration with singer Jan DeGaetani. He also worked with cellists Timothy Eddy and Joel Krosnick, and singer Dawn Upshaw.
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Gilbert Kalish: Early Life and Musical Journey
Gilbert Kalish was born in New York on July 2, 1935. He studied music with teachers like Leonard Shure and Isabelle Vengerova. He helped start the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. This group played new music in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1969 to 1998, he was a pianist for the Boston Symphony Chamber Players.
Teaching and Inspiring Young Musicians
Mr. Kalish is a top professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He leads the performance activities there. For many years, from 1968 to 1997, he taught at the Tanglewood Music Center. He was even the "Chairman of the Faculty" at Tanglewood from 1985 to 1997. He has also taught at other famous music schools. These include the Banff Centre and the Steans Institute at Ravinia. He is well-known for his master classes, where he teaches advanced students.
Recordings and Special Performances
Gilbert Kalish has made many recordings. These include classical music and important works from the 20th century. He has recorded solo pieces like Charles Ives's Concord Sonata. He also recorded sonatas by Joseph Haydn. He made vocal music recordings with Jan DeGaetani. He also recorded works by composers like Elliott Carter, George Crumb, and Arnold Schoenberg.
First Performances and Awards
Mr. Kalish has performed many pieces for the very first time. Some composers have even written music just for him. He gave the first solo piano concert at the newly updated Miller Theatre at Columbia University. He has received many awards for his work. He was nominated for four Grammy Awards. In 2022, he won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. This was for his performance on Caroline Shaw’s “Narrow Sea.” He performed with singer Dawn Upshaw and the group So Percussion. In 1995, he received the Paul Fromm Award. This award recognized his great service to modern music.
