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Donald Shirley

Background information
Birth name Donald Walbridge Shirley
Born January 29, 1927 (1927-01-29) (age 81)
Flag of Jamaica Kingston
Genre(s) Classical, Jazz, Gospel, Pop
Occupation(s) Musician
Instrument(s) Piano
Organ
Years active 1945 - Present
Label(s) Cadence Records, Columbia Records, Atlantic Records
Website www.donshirley.com

Contents

Biography

Don Shirley was born Donald Walbridge Shirley, 29 January 1927, Kingston, Jamaica. Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Kingston is the Capital and largest city of Jamaica and is located on the southeastern coast of the island country A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure A musician is a person who plays or writes Music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music An instrumentalist plays a A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers The organ (from Greek όργανον – organon "organ instrument tool" is a Keyboard instrument of one or more divisions each In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Cadence Records was an American Record company based in New York City. Columbia Records is an American Record label founded in 1888 Columbia is the oldest surviving Brand name in pre-recorded sound being the first record company Atlantic Records ( Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American Record label best known for its many recordings of Rhythm & blues, Rock Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Kingston is the Capital and largest city of Jamaica and is located on the southeastern coast of the island country Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. His first teacher was his mother. He began playing piano at age of 2-1/2 and made his first public performance at the age of 3. At the age of nine he was invited to study theory with Mittolovski at the Leningrad Conservatory of Music, and he later studied with famous organist "Conrad Bernier" and studied advanced composition with both Bernier and Dr. The NA Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory ( Russian: Санкт-Петербургская государственная консерватория имени Thaddeus Jones at Catholic University of America in Washington D. The Catholic University of America ( CUA) located in Northeast Washington D C.

He made his concert debut at the age of 18 with the Boston Pops June 25, l945, with "Dean Dixon" as guest conductor playing the Tchaikovsky B-flat minor concerto. The Boston Pops Orchestra was founded in 1885 as a subsection of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO founded four years earlier In l946 his first major composition was performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The London Philharmonic Orchestra ( LPO) based in London, is one of the major Orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal

In l949 he received an invitation from the Haitian government to play at the Exposition International du Bi-Centenaire De Port-au-Prince followed by a request from Archbishop Le Goise and President Estime for a repeat performance the following week. PortAuPrinceTapTapjpg|right|thumb|270px|A taptap (shared taxi in central Port-au-Prince

At Arthur Fiedler's invitation he appeared with the Boston Pops in Chicago in June 1954. Arthur Fiedler should not be confused with Arthur Fielder, a Kent Fast bowler of the 1900s The Boston Pops Orchestra was founded in 1885 as a subsection of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO founded four years earlier He performed the Tchaikovsky in the fall of 1968 with the Detroit Symphony. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO was founded in 1914 It performed the world's first radio broadcast of a symphonic concert on February 10, 1922 with pianist He has appeared as soloist with the Detroit Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the NBC Symphony, and the National Symphony Orchestra Washington to name only a few. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO was founded in 1914 It performed the world's first radio broadcast of a symphonic concert on February 10, 1922 with pianist The Chicago Symphony Orchestra ( CSO) is an American orchestra based in Chicago Illinois. The Cleveland Orchestra, located in Cleveland, Ohio is one of the major symphony Orchestras in the United States. Including his appearances with the trio, he averaged some 95 concerts a year.

He has written symphonies performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, and has composed four organ symphonies, numerous pieces for piano, two string quartets, and a piano concerto. The Philadelphia Orchestra is an Orchestra based in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, in the United States. The New York Philharmonic is the oldest active Symphony Orchestra in the United States, organized during 1842 He played as soloist with the orchestra at Milan's La Scala opera house in a program dedicated to Gershwin's music. The Teatro alla Scala (or La Scala, as it is known in Milan, Italy, is one of the world's most famous Opera houses The theatre was George Gershwin (September 26 1898 &ndash July 11 1937 was an American Composer. Only two other pianists have performed there as soloists — Rubinstein and Richter. Famous people named Rubinstein include Anton Rubinstein, a Russian Pianist, Composer and conductor, not related to

He holds a Doctorate of Music, Doctorate of Psychology (University of Chicago, Phi Beta Kappa), and Doctorate in Liturgical Arts. The University of Chicago is a Private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic Honor society with the mission of "fostering and recognizing excellence" in the Undergraduate Liberal arts He speaks eight languages fluently, and is considered an expert painter as well.

He abandoned the piano as a career while quite young, and it was while in Chicago as a psychologist that Don "tripped" back into a musical career. He was given a grant to study the relationship, if any, between music and juvenile crime wave which had suddenly broken out in the early l950's. Working in a small club there, he used his knowledge and skill to perform experiments in sound, whereby he proved that certain tonal combinations affected the audience's reactions. No one in the audience knew of his experiment, or that students had been planted among them to gauge their reactions. But Don Shirley the pianist became a sensation.

It is impossible to categorize Don Shirley's music. It is possible to say that as an arranger-composer he treats each piece of music as a new composition, not just an arrangement. Don plays Standards in a non-standard way. He is a virtuoso, playing everything from show tunes, to ballads, to his personal arrangements of Negro spirituals, to jazz, and always with the overtone of a classically-trained musician who has utmost respect for the music he is playing.

Appearances in New York followed, notably at *"Basin Street East", where Duke Ellington first heard him. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29 1899 &ndash May 24 1974 was an American Composer, Pianist, and Bandleader. Here started their warm friendship which was highlighted by Don's performance in l955 of the premiere of Duke's Piano Concerto at Carnegie Hall with the NBC Symphony of the Air. Carnegie Hall (generally ˌkɑrnɨgi ˈhɔːl is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a Radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo An appearance on the Arthur Godfrey Show launched his career nationwide. Arthur Morton Leo Godfrey ( August 31 1903 &ndash March 16 1983) was an American Radio and Television broadcaster

He has composed 3 symphonies, two piano concerti, a cello concerto, three string quartets, a one-act opera, works for organ, piano and violin, a symphonic tone poem based on Finnegan's Wake and a set of "Variations" on the legend of Orpheus in the Underworld. " Finnegan's Wake " is a ballad that arose in the 1850s in the Music-hall tradition of comical Irish songs Orphée aux enfers (Orpheus in the Underworld, Opéra bouffe (or Opéra féerie in its revised version is an Operetta by Jacques

Today he is alive and well and performing in New York. He presently has 14 CDs. During the 1950s and 60s he cut some 16 albums for Cadence Records. Cadence Records was an American Record company based in New York City. A nearly complete Discography is available on this site. If you know of any other recordings please e-mail us so we can add them to the list. There are no classical recordings.

Quotes

Igor Stravinsky has said of him, "His virtuosity is worthy of Gods. Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (Игорь Фёдорович Стравинский) ( &ndash 6 April 1971 was a Russian born Composer, considered by many to "

Sarah Vaughan "The most glorious sense of shading, phrasing and balance I've ever heard. Sarah Lois Vaughan (nicknamed " Sassy " and " The Divine One ") ( March 27 1924, &ndash April "

Artie Shaw says "Don Shirley brings dignity where it is needed. Arthur Jacob Arshawsky ( May 23, 1910 &ndash December 30, 2004) better known as Artie Shaw, was an American Jazz "

Bentley Stegner Chicago Sun-Times: "He can play big round notes that fall as softly as velvet, or make bright, little ones leap up like the tinkle of ice in a glass. The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily Newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. "

Archie Bleyer "I say he is a uniquely talented creative artist - perhaps a genius - who brings an extraordinary musical experience to anyone who listens to him with an open mind and an open heart. Archie Bleyer ( June 12, 1909 - March 20, 1989) was an American song arranger and bandleader. "

The Christian Science Monitor says "Don is destined to revolutionize the popular forms of music. The Christian Science Monitor (CSM is an international Newspaper published daily Monday through Friday "

Discography

For a complete listing of Don Shirley albums and liner notes, click here Don Shirley Discography

External links

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