Greg Anderson

"I spend one third of my day sleeping, one third practicing, and another third out there in the world."

• Alumni of: 2004 Graduate Scholarship Program

• Resides: New Haven, CT
• Hometown: Lake Elmo, MN
• Age: 30

• Four-year College or University: The Juilliard School
• Undergraduate Major: Piano Performance
• Degree sought: M.M.(Master's of Music)

• Graduate School: Yale University
• Graduate Major: Piano Performance
• Degree sought: D.M.A. (Doctor of Music Arts)

• Academic/Career Pursuits: Arts / Music / Performance
• Other Interests: Architecture, Astronomy, Computing / IT, Design, Film / Photography, Literature, Outdoor / Mountaineering / Camping, Performing Arts / Theatre, Politics and Diplomacy, Visual Arts, Volunteer Work, Writing / Journalism, Friends, Music, International Study

• Current Employer: Self-employed, The 5 Browns, Sony/BMG

Biography

Gregory Anderson, 22, always knew that he would be a pianist from the time he started taking piano lessons at the age of eight. He played his first concerto at the age of 14 in Stillwater, MN and never looked back. Greg graduated with academic distinction from the world-famous Juilliard School of Music in New York City, where he placed first in both the concerto and composition competitions. He also won first place in the International Young Artists Competition in Spain. In addition, he has performed countless hours in nursing homes, hospitals, mental wards, and community centers. He intends to seek a master of music degree from Juilliard.

Greg's life revolves around music, and he would not have it any other way. When he was in the fifth grade, he fell from a tree and broke the fifth finger on his left hand just a few days before he was to perform at a piano recital. When his teacher suggested that the performance be cancelled, Greg insisted on playing. All by himself, Greg reworked the fingering on a Mendelssohn Scherzo so he would not have to use that little finger. The performance came off without a missed note, astounding his teacher and delighting the audience.

The episode illustrates Greg's determination and dedication to his career choice. "As long as there is a piano on which I can play, or even music to which I can listen, I will be happy," he writes. "My dream is to live with music."

Greg's attendance at the highly selective Juilliard School allowed him to make his dream come true. In addition to his classes, private lessons, and daily practice time, Greg joined the school's Community Service Fellowship to provide musical entertainment for residents of nursing homes and hospitals. Along with the other 14 members of his piano class, he created a performance entitled "Life between the Keys" to dramatize the diversity of the group and its strong sense of community. "The result was a concert program that read like a book - a concert that told the story of our life together, detailing our friendships, loves, struggles, joys, tragedies, and dreams," he recalls.

Mr. Anderson also has a lighter side. As a composer, he devised a piece entitled "Variations on a Theme by Nokia," presenting 20 variations on an annoying and ubiquitous cell phone ring, mocking the tune's banality but also searching for its musical appeal. At present, he says, he is working on music dealing with the human emotions of ecstasy and thrill. "I am searching for new ways to terrorize a keyboard, to intensify music, and to give an audience shivers," Greg says.

His piano teacher at Juilliard, Paul Martin, summed up his extremely favorable impression of his pupil, saying, "Greg Anderson is a young musician to watch."

What are your long-term career and current academic and extracurricular interests?

“What are you going to do with your life?” People ask me the question on planes, on dates, and rather awkwardly, after concerts. The answer I provide (“the same thing I do now – play the piano”) typically elicits a confused reaction. Most people are simply unaware of all the professional possibilities available as a concert pianist. To put it simply, I am, and intend to remain, a classical musician. I play live concerts for audiences – anywhere from ten to two thousand people – all over the world. Various organizations invite me to travel to their venue and perform up on stage by myself, with other instrumentalists, or as a soloist in front of a large orchestra. I play music composed by all the usual suspects (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven), several unusual ones, and, of course, music composed by myself. I'm also writing a book (on the subject of concert programing), I've acted on Broadway, I teach, compete, organize musical events, record albums, produce videos, and make appearances on the radio, television, and Internet. I hope my career continues in this direction! All of my interests - my career, academic, and “extracurricular” interests - influence one another. For example, I am fascinated by politics, and I often reflect on contemporary events through my musical performances. My recent war-themed recital programs explore society’s changing views of war, as seen in piano music over the past two hundred years. These powerful – at times overwhelming – concerts concluded with a musical plea for peace. Similarly, my interests in nature, literature, travel, design, and human interactions prominently make their way into my performances and compositions. My interests in technology, cinema, and the Internet have also shaped my professional life. I often produce (direct, film, and edit) wild and artsy music videos to post online, and I have designed professional websites for both my piano duo and myself.

What do you want to be remembered for?

I want to be remembered for staying true to myself. I may forge a path wholly my own, but I will be authentic from beginning to end. Through my performances, recordings, compositions, videos, and writings, I hope to transform the way people think about classical piano music - to demonstrate just how relevant and powerful classical music can be. I want my projects to sear a place in my audiences' minds; I want audiences to remember the excitement of connecting through music, of going deeper, or broadening conceptions, of being inspired.

What public service activities are you involved in, and why they are important to you?

My personal mission is to demonstrate that classical piano music can serve as a relevant and powerful force in society. I believe that a piano recital offers means to the overwhelming beauty, spiritual essence, and humanity in this world... that music has the capacity to bring people together and make our world a better place. Some of the greatest musical moments of my life have occurred under unsatisfactory conditions on horrible pianos. However, through an absorbing and interactive program, the proverbial iron curtain between audiences and I virtually disappeared, and all that remained were open clearings for humanity: an aesthetic environment that fosters human connection. To this end, I consider every concert experience to be a necessary and beautiful form of public service. I also perform benefit concerts to raise money for social causes, and I often give free concerts for patients in medical facilities and children at local public schools. Additionally, I respond daily to comments and questions presented by users on my websites' various forums.

What does it mean to you to be a JKCF scholar? How has the scholarship made a difference in your life?

My Jack Kent Cooke scholarship gave me the opportunity to stray from my professionally predetermined path and fully explore my surroundings. It gave me the freedom and flexibility to think outside the box - specifically, to reconsider traditions, to avoid competitions, and to discover my personal strengths and interests. I certainly made mistakes throughout the process, but that process has refocused my career in truly amazing and satisfying ways. My vision has become bigger! My execution is more precise! My personal job-satisfaction rating is off the charts! My Jack Kent Cooke scholarship also introduced me to some of the coolest and most inspiring people ever.

What do you consider to be your major accomplishments (personally/professionally)?

Here's my professional bio: Greg Anderson is a multifaceted musician whose exploits have attracted the attention of such media outlets as MTV's "Total Request Live," the CBS "Early Morning Show," "Pianist" and "Clavier" magazines, and NPR's "A Prairie Home Companion," "From the Top," "Performance Today," and "All Things Considered." As a pianist, Greg has won numerous competitions, performed in Carnegie Hall, soloed with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and toured in North America, Japan, and Spain. He has also established a groundbreaking piano duo partnership with Elizabeth Joy Roe. Greg's compositions for The 5 Browns have appeared on the EMI and Sony/BMG record labels, and his unconventional music videos have been viewed nearly a million times on YouTube. Greg received his bachelor's and master's degrees in piano performance from The Juilliard School, and he is currently pursuing his doctorate at Yale University. To learn more, please visit Greg's interactive websites, andersonpiano.com & andersonroe.net.