American pianist Donald Berman is recognized as one of the chief exponents of new works by living composers, overlooked music by 20th century masters, and recitals that link classical and modern repertoires. His reputation as definitive interpreter of the American new music canon is unsurpassed. He has established an extensive discography in the works of major American composers, including Ives, Ruggles, Kernis, Levering, Wheeler, Boykan, and many others. Mr.Berman's acclaimed recordings of The Unknown Ives (on CRI and New World, in two volumes) present premieres of unpublished works and new critical editions (by Mr.Berman) in the only recording of the complete short piano works of Charles Ives extant. On The Uncovered Ruggles (New World) Mr.Berman offers premiere recordings of unpublished sketches, transcriptions, and realizations of Ruggles' music by John Kirkpatrick. For ten years Mr.Berman devoted his energies to curating an exhaustive survey of neglected works by American composers sponsored by the American Academy in Rome - first in a 4-concert series at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and subsequently in a newly-released 4-CD set on Bridge Records (9271). Both the Americans in Rome recording and his recording of Charles Ives songs with soprano Susan Narucki, The Light That Is Felt (New World) were named CD of the Month by BBC Music Magazine.


Donald Berman has performed to critical acclaim at major venues in the U.S., Europe and the Middle East. He has premiered works as diverse as Mark Wingate's electro-acoustic When Brahma Sleeps, Su Lian Tan's U-Don Rock, David Rakowski's Chase, Donald Martino's Piano Trio, and Christopher Theofanidis' Piano Concerto Symphony to American music retrospectives, to recitals linking Haydn and Schubert with new music, called "thrillingly clear" (New York Times). As an educator, Donald Berman has presented recitals, lectures, and masterclasses in Israel, Italy, and throughout the United States; he teaches at Tufts University and directs the New England Conservatory Summer Piano Institute.


Mr.Berman is a prizewinner of the 1991 Schubert International Competition. He studied with Leonard Shure (New England Conservatory), John Kirkpatrick, George Barth (Wesleyan University), and Mildred Victor. He is a member of the Dinosaur Annex New Music Ensemble and is on the boards of the Ives Society and Art of the States. He lives with his wife and two children in New York City. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.