August 29, 2011. Boyce Lancaster interviews the pianist Simone Dinnerstein. Simone Dinnerstein launched her career in the most unusual way: she raised funds and recorded Johann Sebastian Bach’s challenging Goldberg Variations, apiece that usually crowns a well-developed career, rather than lays its foundation. She played the same piece at her New York recital debut in November 2005 at the Weill Recital Hal. Her Goldberg recording became a sensation and in 2007 was picked up by Telarc and released worldwide in 2007.
Boyce Lancaster talks to Simone as she prepares to release yet another CD, Bach: A Strange Beauty. You can listen to snippets of Simone’s pianism: Variation XXV from the Goldberg recording here, and Sarabande, from Suite no. 5 in G Major, BWV 816 here. The complete interview is here, and below is Boyce’s introduction to his conversation with Simone.
In the music world, much as in the world of sports, it’s the flashy ones who get most of the ink.A case in point is Lang Lang.He has made himself larger than life, plays the piano with flourishes and dramatic flair, and sells Rolexes, Adidas, and Audis.His piano talent was nurtured from a very early age.He won numerous piano competitions.Over four billion people saw him perform before the 29th Olympiad.He has even accompanied world champion figure skaters, playing a piano positioned on the ice.By contrast, Simone Dinnerstein begged for piano lessons at the age of four, but was given a recorder.When she was 15, she wanted to travel to London to study piano, but was encouraged to go across the river to Juilliard, where she stayed for a few years, dropping out at eighteen.(She did eventually return and finish her degree.)She entered no competitions.By the time she was thirty, she had a degree, lots of talent, but no manager, no recording contract, no bookings, and limited prospects for a concert career.On top of that, she was going to have a child.
Now what?
Most of us would probably go find a job teaching, giving private lessons, or whatever it took to earn a living.What did Ms. Dinnerstein decide to do?
She made a recording.
While making a recording isn’t that tough, making a recording that can get attention next to the likes of Lang Lang, Murray Perahia, Leon Fleisher, Yuja Wang, and scores of others, takes talent, of course, and money…money Ms. Dinnerstein didn’t have.
Add to that her decision to begin her career by recording J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations, a work most are going to work up to, not begin with, and she had a very steep hill to climb.
But climb it, she did.
She found a way to raise the money to rent a proper hall, get an engineer, and record the Bach.When some of the tracks leaked onto the Internet, a huge buzz began.Her next decision raised even more eyebrows.Rather than try to get an audition for a record company, she decided to capitalize on the buzz by auditioning for everyone…all at once…in concert…at Carnegie Hall.
It was a huge, expensive gamble…but one that paid huge dividends.Record labels were now clamoring to be the one to release her recording.Telarc Records released her Goldberg Variations recording in 2007.
Simone Dinnerstein is an amazing artist and an amazing person. Her quiet determination and resolve was the key to her success…her incredible insight into Bach’s Goldberg Variations just the beginning. She has recently release another recording called Bach: A Strange Beauty.
Simone Dinnerstein
August 29, 2011. Boyce Lancaster interviews the pianist Simone Dinnerstein. Simone Dinnerstein launched her career in the most unusual way: she raised funds and recorded
Johann Sebastian Bach’s challenging Goldberg Variations, apiece that usually crowns a well-developed career, rather than lays its foundation. She played the same piece at her New York recital debut in November 2005 at the Weill Recital Hal. Her Goldberg recording became a sensation and in 2007 was picked up by Telarc and released worldwide in 2007.
Boyce Lancaster talks to Simone as she prepares to release yet another CD, Bach: A Strange Beauty. You can listen to snippets of Simone’s pianism: Variation XXV from the Goldberg recording here, and Sarabande, from Suite no. 5 in G Major, BWV 816 here. The complete interview is here, and below is Boyce’s introduction to his conversation with Simone.
In the music world, much as in the world of sports, it’s the flashy ones who get most of the ink. A case in point is Lang Lang. He has made himself larger than life, plays the piano with flourishes and dramatic flair, and sells Rolexes, Adidas, and Audis. His piano talent was nurtured from a very early age. He won numerous piano competitions. Over four billion people saw him perform before the 29th Olympiad. He has even accompanied world champion figure skaters, playing a piano positioned on the ice. By contrast, Simone Dinnerstein begged for piano lessons at the age of four, but was given a recorder. When she was 15, she wanted to travel to London to study piano, but was encouraged to go across the river to Juilliard, where she stayed for a few years, dropping out at eighteen. (She did eventually return and finish her degree.) She entered no competitions. By the time she was thirty, she had a degree, lots of talent, but no manager, no recording contract, no bookings, and limited prospects for a concert career. On top of that, she was going to have a child.
Now what?
Most of us would probably go find a job teaching, giving private lessons, or whatever it took to earn a living. What did Ms. Dinnerstein decide to do?
She made a recording.
While making a recording isn’t that tough, making a recording that can get attention next to the likes of Lang Lang, Murray Perahia, Leon Fleisher, Yuja Wang, and scores of others, takes talent, of course, and money…money Ms. Dinnerstein didn’t have.
Add to that her decision to begin her career by recording J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations, a work most are going to work up to, not begin with, and she had a very steep hill to climb.
But climb it, she did.
She found a way to raise the money to rent a proper hall, get an engineer, and record the Bach. When some of the tracks leaked onto the Internet, a huge buzz began. Her next decision raised even more eyebrows. Rather than try to get an audition for a record company, she decided to capitalize on the buzz by auditioning for everyone…all at once…in concert…at Carnegie Hall.
It was a huge, expensive gamble…but one that paid huge dividends. Record labels were now clamoring to be the one to release her recording. Telarc Records released her Goldberg Variations recording in 2007.
Simone Dinnerstein is an amazing artist and an amazing person. Her quiet determination and resolve was the key to her success…her incredible insight into Bach’s Goldberg Variations just the beginning. She has recently release another recording called Bach: A Strange Beauty.