American pianist Richard Goode to give a recital and master classes in Jerusalem

On Saturday March 6th 2010, the illustrious American pianist Richard Goode will be presenting his first Israeli recital. The concert will take place at 8:30 at the Henry Crown Auditorium of the Jerusalem Theatre. Goode will be the guest of the Edward Aldwell Center of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and the Arthur Rubinstein Society. Born in New York in 1943, Richard Goode studied with several great musicians, among them pianists Rudolf Serkin, Claude Frank, Nadia Reisenberg, Mieczyslaw Horszowski and Karl Ulrich Schnabel; he made his New York debut in 1962. Goode’s repertoire is broad – he plays much chamber music, concerti, solo recitals and accompanies singers. He records extensively. Together with Mitsuko Uchida, he now serves as co-musical director of the Marlboro Music School and Festival.

Richard Goode’s approach to performing goes well beyond brilliant technique and musical ability: music-making, for him, revolves around the musical score, observation of constructional dimensions of a work, listening, the character and style of the composer and communicating both the composer’s- and his own ideas. He is a highly respected Beethoven interpreter, having performed and recorded the whole cycle of Beethoven sonatas, recently recording all five Beethoven Concertos. Insightful and open-minded, Goode’s modesty and generosity are ever present in his playing and teaching. The artist is performing his Jerusalem recital as a benefit concert for the nurturing of outstanding young pianists in Israel. The concert program will include works by W.Byrd, J.S.Bach, Chopin and Schumann.

In addition to his recital, Goode will be conducting master classes at the Edward Aldwell Center and at the Jerusalem Music Centre. Goode and the distinguished American pianist, scholar and teacher Edward Aldwell were colleagues – several Israeli pianists have been students of both Aldwell and Goode at the Mannes College of Music (New York). I talked to Yuval Cohen, the Edward Aldwell Center’s associate artistic director, who, when studying with Edward Aldwell, also took lessons with Goode. Cohen spoke of the “Young Piano Artists” program, whereby the Aldwell Center trains gifted young pianists from age 12 to 18 from all over Israel, several of whom will be taking part in the Goode master classes. The Edward Aldwell International Center for Piano Performance and Musicianship was established in Jerusalem by Lea Agmon, also a former student of Aldwell, who today serves as its artistic director.

Yuval Cohen, who teaches piano, jazz and theory at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and at the Conservatory, spoke of Goode as a teacher. Goode has a great sense of commitment to his teaching, requiring his students to inform him ahead of time as to what work they will bring to the lesson for study. A session usually lasts for a solid three hours and consists of Goode and the students exploring ideas together. For Goode, the student’s suggestions are discussed along with his own. The lesson will often end with the teacher lending the pupil one of the many books piled up in his music room, books not necessarily on the subject of music! Goode is passionate about literature and the arts in general.

Tickets for the March 6th concert can be purchased from the Jerusalem Theatre box office (02-5605755, or on-line). Students can buy tickets at greatly reduced prices.

For more information, contact Yuval Cohen (054-9439593) or Shuly Haberman of the Arthur Rubinstein Society (03-6856684).