He is a composer, conductor, organ virtuoso, harpsichordist, fortepianist and teacher born in Los Angeles, California, who began to show his musical abilities from a very young age.
He took his studies in both the United States and France in the 1950s. His studies at the EcoleNormal de Musique in France resulted in a Diplome Superieur with his piano teacher Alfred Cortot adding a commendation. His education in the United States after his return from Paris resulted in his Bachelor degree from Mannes College of Music, studying composition at Harvard University, where he graduated with his Master’s in 1963 and further studies at Boston University where he was awarded his doctorate.
In the late 1960s/early 1970s he concentrated more on the conducting side of things and became the Assistant to Noah Greenburg who was the New York Pro Musica’s Director. He also founded the Brandenburg Collegium.
It was not long before his expertise as a musician, conductor and composer were recognised and over time he became recognised as one of America’s top organ virtuosos and has been said to be “America’s foremost Bach interpreter”. These attributes have seen him sought after since the 1980s for tours, concerts, premieres and recordings by orchestras, ensembles, choirs and solo musicians all over the world. Some of these have included the sopranos Julianne Baird and Kathleen Battle, Leonard Bernstein, Brandenburg Collegium, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Chestnut Brass Company, Choral Guild of Atlanta, English Chamber Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Lorin Maazel, Wynton Marsalis, Mostly Mozart Festival, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the violinist Itzak Perlman, the flautist Jean-Paul Rampal, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, San Diego Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Tucson Symphony and the flautist Eugenie Zukerman.
His released recordings as a solo artist or collaborator, which amount to more than 170 to date, have received a lot of critical acclaim and saw his 1989 fortepiano performance of Beethoven’s Third Concerto being named “Record of the Year” by Stereo Review and the 1996 In Gabriel’s Garden with Wynton Marsalis and the English Chamber Orchestra reached No. 1 on the Billboard classical album chart. Marsalis is said to have dubbed him “The High Priest of Bach”.
He has been a consultant at Alice Tully Hall for the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and was an organist for Alice Tully’s 90th birthday celebration, he revived Sancta Suzanna by Paul Hindemith and conducted a performance of it in Prague. He has been the Dean of Krakow’s European Mozart Academy in Poland, the Music Director at Bedford New York’s Saint Matthew’s Episcopal Church and the Music Director of New York’s “Bach Works”.
Not content just conducting and playing music, he has also written a huge range of compositions that include two operas, four symphonies, four concertos, chamber music, choral works and guitar, piano and organ pieces. These have now been performed throughout the United States and Europe and gained him 30 ASCAP composer awards.
In the field of musical education he has been on the faculty of Indiana University and the Juilliard School. He has also been on the faculty of State University of New York’s Purchase College as the Head of the Graduate Music Program.
Involved in charitable work, he has done voluntary work at Stamford Hospital, been a member of the organisation which helps the terminally ill known as Hospice International and belonged to Outreach which gives shelter and food to the needy in White Plains, New York.
Anthony Newman recordings
O Come, All Ye Faithful (Frederick Oakeley/John Francis Wade)
Sony SFK 62698 (CD: The Joy of Christmas)
Arranger – John Rutter
Chestnut Brass Company
Choral Guild of Atlanta
Here he is performing “Le Coucou” by Louis Claude Daquin…
Sources:
- http://anthonynewmanmusician.org/bio.html
- http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Newman-Anthony.htm
- http://www.answers.com/topic/anthony-newman
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/anthony-newman-p26793
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/anthony-newman-p26793/credits