“There is a rising meteor in the musical firmament, a man of the sort of talent we can only associate with greatness. I, personally, become awestruck when listening to Steve Sandberg. His keyboard artistry and creative gifts are treasures awaiting the world’s recognition. ”
Steve Sandberg’s concerts combine performances from the solo piano repertoire with original compositions and improvisations that are based on these pieces and also draw from Latin, African, Balkan, and East Indian traditions.
For his second Soapbox Gallery recital, he will play:
Bartok’s Three Pieces from the Country of Csik, followed by his own “Janos”, based on these pieces.
Mozart’s Gigue, followed by Mr. Sandberg’s “Amadeus”
Sibelius’ Valse Triste, followed by Mr. Sandberg’s “Trist Vals”
Chopin’s Scherzo #3 in C# minor, followed by Mr. Sandberg’s “Ballade”
Chopin’s Opus 7 Mazurkas
Liszt’s Concert Etude No. 2 in F minor, followed by his own “Abbé”
Mr. Sandberg grew up playing classical piano, then spent decades exploring many worlds of music, including New York’s vibrant Latin music scene, Brasilian music, Eastern European music, and North Indian raga singing.
Several years ago, Mr. Sandberg returned to his first musical love and, after a period of deep study with Seymour Bernstein, resumed his concert life as a pianist. In addition to solo recitals, he also leads the Steve Sandberg Quartet, featuring violinist Zach Brock, which has appeared at Birdland, Symphony Space, Sidedoor Jazz, Miller Symphony Hall’s Upstairs Jazz, and the DiMenna Center. All About Jazz called their first CD “a breathtaking composite of world music, jazz, and classical expressions...an exultant music that’s incredibly personal and precise in its direction, yet universal in its language and ability to connect”.