News / blog
Updated March 9. 2010 - Music Listening Manifesto added. Updated schedule. 4 new answers to questions. Updated bio. -- user updates to review, advise audience, and recommend pages coming soon.
March 7, 2009
Emotion in music, money, Liz, and Carl...
Whaaaaa? How can I perform more expressively? How much money do concert pianists make? What's the deal with Liz? And who's this "Carl" guy? There's no theme to this set of questions. They are just four of the queries I stumbled upon when I set out to manage my growing bank of unanswered questions.
Don't worry if I haven't responded to your question. It's in line, awaiting my attention!
Visit the Ask Greg to read my latest answers.
March 5, 2009
Music Listening: An Incomplete Manifesto
Liz and I wrote this essay to compliment our performances. The next time you attend a concert, try one of the 27 points on for size. See what works best for you!
November 6, 2009
Phew!!! 25 questions answered! Wait, make that 27!
Over the past few weeks, I've been toiling away, answering your questions to the best of my ability. It seems that I have not been on top of things lately, as there were 25 questions waiting for my attention! (Update: I just found two more in my inbox this morning, so make that 27.) If you have ever asked a question on this site and haven't yet seen my reply, then look -- dig around for it -- it should be there! If you still don't find it, then please ask again... it must have disappeared amongst the hoards of spam mail I receive.
The questions were diverse -- I updated all 11 archive categories to include my new answers. Here's a sampling of the questions:
- I am considering doing videos for them in the vein that you have pioneered. Any advice?
- How do you cope with different pianos and acoustics at various venues?
- Where can I can purchase it Aiko Onishi's book, "Pianism"?
- Is it at all realistic that I could get into Juilliard?
- Are you single?
- How much money does a concert pianist make?
- Is it possible to be a lawyer, doctor, and professional pianist?
- How do I play the end of Chopin's First Ballade?
- How can I improve my hand span?
- How do you memorize music on a deadline?
- Do you think it's unrealistic to fulfill my dreams of being a orchestral pianist?
- To study most standard literature, how fast should I be able to play scales?
- And much more...
Go to the Ask Greg page for answers! And don't be afraid to comment on my responses, especially if you disagree or have additional advice to offer.
August 3, 2009
Arranging music for five pianos in hotel rooms
My apologies for the lack of posts. The 5 Browns have got me working like a mad man, arranging music for their next album; all of my available free time (in hotels, on planes, at home) has been spent devising ways to keep 50 fingers busy at once! Thankfully the music is reasonably condusive to overblown piano pyrotechnics, but there's always a dose of restrictions that keep my creative instincts at bay; I'm never quite as free to place my own "Anderson" stamp on the music I write for them. Record labels, as wonderful as they are, like to play it safe with sure-fire, unadulterated hits. Liz and I, on the other hand, like doing things in a way that pleases us... and we hope others ultimately want to join us for the ride! Suffice it to say, I look forward to working on music for the next Anderson & Roe album!
If you saw Liz and me (or just me) at any of the recent events in Portland, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, or New York, be sure to post your thoughts -- go to the schedule page and click on the "comments" tag under the event listing.
August 1, 2009
Dance Party! Three pop-inspired videos!
Here's three videos I've been working on over the past few months:
- Turtle Stayin' Alive: Greg and Liz have a wild dance party, set to a slowed-down, Anderson & Roe rendition of "Stayin' Alive."
- Oblivion: *Gasp!* What happened to Liz? Don't worry folks; she's still around -- she just she moved behind the camera for this one (along with the incredible Julius T. Oatts). The video features Carl and Greg in a romantic performance of a Piazzolla tango.
- Paranoid Android: Anderson & Roe perform their cover of Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" live.
August 1, 2009
New arrangement for sale
- Mozart/Anderson: Grand Scherzo (based on the Finale to Act I of Cosi fan tutti)
This ten-minute free arrangement captures the essence of the scene in a highly pianistic and Mozartean manner; I've reimagined the score as if Mozart had conceived it as a playful exchange between two pianists. For four hands at one piano.
See the composition page for purchasing information.
May 11, 2009
Four new questions answered!
I have at least a dozen more questions waiting for my attention. I'll get to them, I promise. :-)
I'll also post a new blog shortly about recent Anderson & Roe adventures, but in the meantime, enjoy new questions with answers (including a lengthy one about practicing).
May 10 , 2009
New compositions and arrangements for sale
- Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise" arranged for four hands.
- The Anderson & Roe "Ragtime alla turca" for two pianos.
- Debussy's "Clair de lune" arranged for six hands at one piano.
See the composition page for purchasing information.
April 12, 2009
Sun, Rain, and Classical Piano Music
Check this out:
Under only the most perfect conditions would I endorse an open air piano recital, but the Holders Season in Barbados knows what they are doing, and they got it right. My performances in the steamy, sun-drenched, stress-free land of rum were like something from a dream.
What worked? Glad you asked --
- The piano: The poor instrument had been sitting outside for five years, through hurricanes and scorching heat. Somehow, the piano managed to retain its tuning relatively well, its action was even, its tone expressive, its dynamic range massive...
- The cool evening breeze: While performing "Sheep May Safely Graze," I felt the Barbados wind swoosh past the piano and me, and I felt like I was in heaven. "This is how this piece should be performed," I thought. It's something I had never considered while practicing in a practice room. (If only my noisy air conditioner could recreate the effect!)
- The colorful lights projected onto the trees: Why do so many classical concerts settle for white lights on a bare stage? It's like we treat our venue as some sort of sterile surgical environment. No... Beethoven, Alkan, and Liszt sound better when performed in a magical garden, I say.
- The bar: Audience members were allowed to take their drinks to their seats. It helped dissolve the ugly rules of traditional classical audience protocol. We all had an unabashedly good time.
- The "street performers:" Two acrobats, a magician, and a string quartet "worked the crowd" before and after the performances, as well as during intermission. They contributed to the bewitching, utopian feel of the performances, and it helped prepare the audience for enjoyable experiences with classical music (versus serious, taxing evenings with classical music).
Concert presenters, take notes!
. 
"Fishing," composed by Satie, with my most wonderful, theatrical audience participants.
Two acrobats - the stilted angel and the mercurial racer.
March 25, 2009
Practice, practice, practice
I've been practicing more than usual lately, preparing for a slew of solo recitals. (The amount of preparation and endurance required by solo piano recitals make piano concertos look like a nap on the beach.) In honor of all the practicing, I finally got around to answering three of the many backlogged questions waiting for my attention -- three practice-related questions, in fact. James asks, "Is it possible to become a concert pianist and not perform?" He also asks how much practice it will take for him to perform (in private, I suppose!) on the level of a concert pianist. Michael flatters me by asking how I create my "really, really Full sounding" tone. (Thanks Michael!) And Elsie wonders how long it should take her to learn a piano concerto... My answers await on the Ask page!
March 2, 2009
Fourth Impression from the Star Wars Fantasy uploaded
(Watch the video on the Star Wars page.) Why did it take us so long to upload the video of the Fourth Impression from our Star Wars Fantasy? I wrote most of the movement during the week before its premiere... Not only was that not enough time to satisfactorily compose the piece, but it afforded us no time to learn the notes! Suffice it to say, we were really happy with parts of the impression, but something about it's structure never felt right. Our dream: revise it and create a fancy, Anderson/Roe-style video of the work. Lately, however, we've become so obsessed with other projects that it seemed unlikely that we'd ever get around to revising or filming it. So Liz and I posted the original, not-quite-satisfying Fourth Impression, and said, "Let's be done with it!"
February 18, 2009
RSS added to site
A number of people have requested that I add RSS to the site. To add my new RSS feed to your reader, roll your cursor over the "subscribe" button on the navigation menu to the left. (Google's RSS reader is great, or you can add my RSS feed to your Google homepage!) To learn about the convenience of RSS, check out this site.
February, 2009
New website design
I've cleaned and reorganized the site. Additionally, I've added "comments" features throughout, fixed the music players, and updated some pages. The most notable change, however, is the news page; it's now part blog, part news: a multipurpose webpage that I hope to update more frequently. And unlike the previous news page (see below), it's written in first person.
December 11 - 13, 2008
Anderson & Roe Piano Duo to present at EG (Entertainment Gathering) 2008
This December, Anderson & Roe will be featured presenters at EG 2008, an entertainment gathering showcasing the best ideas about entertainment and imagination.
"EG presenters are among the most luminous talents of our time, from rising stars to living national treasures; this is the conference for the most influential and creative minds in the world."
Yo-Yo Ma, Leon Fleisher, and Herbie Hancock were the musician presenters in '06 and '07. See www.the-eg.com for more information.
November 15 - 20, 2008
Greg to replace Desirae Brown on concerts with The 5 Brown
Desirae is suffering from eye troubles, and in the interest of attaining proper treatment, she is stepping out of The 5 Brown's next set of concerts. Greg will fill her shoes for four concerts, performing with Greg, Melody, Ryan, and Deondra Brown. The group of five pianists will perform several of Greg Anderson's compositions and arrangements for five pianos, as well as solos and duos.
September 28, 2008
Greg named a Steinway Artist
He also just purchased his very own Steinway L, built in 1986! Greg is excited and proud to make Steinway pianos a part of his life. You can find Steinway pianos in his videos, website, performances, and now, in his living room.
May 26, 2008
Greg graduates from Yale University
The academic work is done. No more classes. No more papers.
Next on the agenda: Greg must "go out into the world" and demonstrate "distinguished achievement in the profession." After a committee has reviewed and approved a dossier of Greg's programs, reviews, articles, publications, recordings, compositions, books, "and any other materials considered to be pertinent," Greg will receive the official title: "Doctor of Music."
April 26, 2008
Greg receives a student prize at the Yale School of Music
Greg received the 2008 Philip F. Nelson Prize, "for a student whose musicianship is outstanding and who demonstrates curiosity, talent, and entrepreneurial spirit in the many dimensions of the music profession."
April 4, 2008
Greg completes (and submits) his dissertation at Yale University
"Piano Recital Program Arrangement: The Sequence of Pieces on a Recital and its Effect on the Listening Experience"
Greg hopes to tailor his dissertation to serve as a chapter within his book-in-progress about the art and evolution of piano recital programming. To learn more about this project or to read samples, visit the Writings page.
February 21, 2008
Greg featured in "The Ledger"
The Ledger featured an article about Greg's exploits on the front of today's "Life" section. "Provocative Classical Music, MTV-Style: 26-year-old challenging status quo of genre with outreach, videos."
January 15, 2008
"Movie Trailer #1" for the new Anderson & Roe album, Reimagine!
January 15, 2008
Anderson & Roe Piano Duo's debut album, Reimagine, released!
You can read about it and listen to samples on the new "Reimagine" page.
Or buy it on amazon.com.
Buy the digital audio files from DigStation.
