Nina Gamble Kennedy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nina Gamble Kennedy
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| Born | 1960 (age 64–65) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
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Nina Gamble Kennedy (born 1960) is an American classical pianist, orchestra conductor, filmmaker, and writer. She is known for her amazing musical talent and her work in films and books.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Journey
Nina Kennedy was born in Nashville, Tennessee. She started learning music from her parents, who were both talented concert pianists. Her father, Matthew Washington Kennedy, also directed the famous Fisk Jubilee Singers. Her mother, Anne Gamble Kennedy, played piano for the same group. Both of her parents taught piano at Fisk University.
Nina began formal piano lessons at the Blair Academy of Music in 1968. She was a very gifted child, performing her first full piano recital at just nine years old! In 1974, when she was still young, she played as a piano soloist with the Nashville Symphony. She performed George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in front of over 4,000 people and received a standing ovation.
After graduating from high school in 1978, Nina was one of only three piano students accepted into the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She later studied at Temple University, earning a Bachelor of Music degree in 1982. She also taught piano at the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia.
Nina continued her studies at the Juilliard School in New York City, focusing on piano performance and orchestral conducting. She even received a special scholarship there. During her time at Juilliard, she learned from famous musicians like André Watts and Leonard Bernstein. She also studied at the Manhattan School of Music. In 1988, she won a major award called the National Endowment of the Arts Solo Recitalist Fellowship.
Nina Kennedy's Career Highlights
On April 5, 1987, Nina Kennedy made her big debut in New York City at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. Her performance was a huge success, earning her several standing ovations.
After her New York debut, Nina went on her second tour in Europe. She performed in cities like London, Edinburgh, and Amsterdam. She even played at the famous Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, where she again received many standing ovations. She also performed for the BBC in London and on National Public Radio.
Nina has performed as a guest soloist with many orchestras. She played with the Jackson Symphony and the Chautauqua Festival Orchestra. She was also invited to perform at the American Embassies in Paris and Prague. In 1996, she played with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra in front of a huge live audience and many more watching on television. This concert was part of the Memphis in May International Festival, and the Olympic Torch even passed through the stadium during her performance!
From 1992 to 1995, Nina trained as a conducting apprentice with the New York Philharmonic. She also worked with L’Orchestre National de France from 2003 to 2007.
In 2017, Nina celebrated 30 years since her New York debut with a special mini-recital at Steinway Hall in New York City.
Nina Kennedy is also a filmmaker and writer. A short film called Portrait: An American Concert Pianist was made about her for PBS. In 2006, she directed and produced a documentary film about her father, called Matthew Kennedy: One Man's Journey. This film won an award at the 2007 Nashville Film Festival.
Since 2016, Nina and her partner April Gibson have hosted "Artists’ Salons" in New York City. These are special events where artists can share their work. She also hosts The Noshing with Nina Show, which is broadcast on television and has won awards.
Nina has also written books. Her first book, Practicing for Love: A Memoir, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award in 2021. Her second book, Practice What You Preach, was released in 2022.
Recordings
Nina Kennedy has recorded many classical pieces. Here are some of her recordings:
- "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Johann Sebastian Bach, recorded in Vienna, Austria, 2019
- Prelude in F minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff, recorded in Vienna, Austria, 2019
- "Widmung" by Robert Schumann, arranged by Franz Liszt, recorded in Vienna, Austria, 2019
- "Blue White and Red" (including parts of the Grieg Piano Concerto), with rapper Nejma Nefertiti, New York, 2019
- "Do It for the Love" (including parts of "Vissi d'arte"), with soprano Lowri Marie and Nejma Nefertiti, New York, 2019
- Étude in C-sharp minor by Frédéric Chopin, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, 1993
- Mazurka in A minor by Frédéric Chopin, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, 1993
- Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, 1993
- Prelude in G-sharp minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, 1993
- Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, 1993
- Valses Nobles et Sentimentales by Maurice Ravel, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, 1993
Books and Films
Here are some of the books Nina Kennedy has written and films she has been involved with:
- Practice What You Preach (2022)
- Practicing for Love: A Memoir (2019)
- Feels Like a Woman (1997), a screenplay
- "Notes on the Program," an article in Lincoln Center Stagebill, April 1987
Filmography
- Matthew Kennedy: One Man’s Journey (2006), a documentary produced and directed by Nina Kennedy
- Portrait: An American Concert Pianist (1989), a documentary produced and directed by Nina Kennedy
