Simone Dinnerstein - Biography

Simone Dinnerstein (born September 18, 1972) is an American classical pianist who became celebrated, both critically and commercially, for her self-financed recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's Goldberg Variations, released in 2007.

Education

Simone Andréa Dinnerstein was born in New York, New York, USA. studied in the pre-college program at the Manhattan School of Music with Solomon Mikowsky. She later attended The Juilliard School of Music and was a student of Peter Serkin. She also studied in London with Maria Curcio.

Career

Goldberg Variations

When the Telarc label released the self-financed recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's Goldberg Variations (Telarc CD-80692), her career was "launched into the stratosphere" with the album outselling The White Stripes on Amazon.com. In its first week of commercial release, the recording was at No.1 on the Billboard classical music CD sales chart. The disc appeared on a number of “Best of 2007” lists, including those of The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, Time Out New York, several radio stations, iTunes “Editor’s Choice Best Classical,” Amazon.com Best CDs of 2007, and Barnes & Noble's Top 5 Debut CDs of 2007.

Subsequent work

To follow up on her success, Dinnerstein recorded a recital live at the Berlin Philharmonie, on Nov. 22, 2007. The program included Aaron Copland's "Piano Variations," and Anton Webern's “Variations" - neither of which was to be included on the concert CD. She then focused on three Bach-related works to be included on the CD, Bach's French Suites No. 5 in G (BWV 816); the premiere recording of Twelve Variations on a Chorale by J. S. Bach by the American composer Philip Lasser (b. 1963), and the Piano Sonata no. 32, op. 111, by Beethoven (with a first movement that makes extensive use of fugal textures reminiscent of Bach). The recording was released by Telarc on August 26, 2008.

In addition to her solo recital work, she has been a featured guest artist at the Bard Music Festival. In addition, she has appeared as a chamber musician in performances of contemporary music, including works of Yehudi Wyner and Ned Rorem.

Dinnerstein has toured as piano soloist with the Dresden Philharmonic and Czech Philharmonic. She has performed with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New York City's Orchestra of St. Luke's, the New York Philharmonic, and the Absolute Ensemble.

Signed with Sony Classical

In 2010, Simone Dinnerstein signed with Sony Classical and in January 2011, she released her first album on the label entitled Bach: A Strange Beauty. In its first week of commercial release, the recording made its debut at No.1 on the Billboard Traditional Classical Chart. Bach: A Strange Beauty also spent time as the No.1 top selling album on Barnesandnoble.com and No.2 selling album on Amazon.com, in good company with The Decemberists, Cake, The Black Keys and Bruno Mars. Dinnerstein was also featured on CBS Sunday Morning.

Personal life

A former piano teacher, Dinnerstein resides in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, Jeremy Greensmith, a 5th grade teacher at P.S.321, and their son, Adrian.

Dinnerstein's father, Simon Dinnerstein, is a painter.

External links

• Simone Dinnerstein's official website
• Full Biography from IMG Artists
• Classical Archives Interview