Barbara Nissman
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Barbara Nissman (born December 31, 1944, in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
) is an American pianist. She is especially known for her interpretations and
performances A performance is an act or process of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment. It is also defined as the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an action, task, or function. Performance has evolved glo ...
of the works of
Alberto Ginastera Alberto Evaristo Ginastera (; April 11, 1916June 25, 1983) was an Argentine composer of classical music. He is considered to be one of the most important 20th-century classical music, 20th-century classical composers of the Americas. Biography G ...
and
Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...
which feature prominently in her
repertoire Repertory or repertoire () is the list or set of works a person or company is accustomed to performing. Whether the English or French spelling is used has no bearing, but it was the French word, with an accent on the first e, , that first took ho ...
. She is also a writer, a producer of a series of DVDs, and a guest clinician presenting concerts, master classes and lectures world-wide. Nissman's international career was personally launched by
Eugene Ormandy Eugene Ormandy (born Jenő Blau; November 18, 1899 – March 12, 1985) was a Hungarian-born American conductor and violinist, best known for his association with the Philadelphia Orchestra, as its music director. His 44-year association with ...
with debuts arranged in all of the major European capitals after he heard her perform as a student at the
University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
. She subsequently made her American professional debut as soloist with Ormandy and the
Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription concerts, n ...
. She has also performed with some of the leading orchestras in
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
, including the
London Philharmonic The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is a British orchestra based in London. One of five permanent symphony orchestras in London, the LPO was founded by the conductors Sir Thomas Beecham and Malcolm Sargent in 1932 as a rival to the exist ...
, the
Royal Philharmonic The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, England. The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable recording contracts and important engagemen ...
, the
BBC Symphony The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. The ...
, the
Rotterdam Philharmonic The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (RPhO; ) is a Dutch symphony orchestra based in Rotterdam. Its primary venue is the concert hall De Doelen. The RPhO is considered one of the Netherlands' two principal orchestras of international standing, se ...
and the
Munich Philharmonic The Munich Philharmonic () is a German symphony orchestra located in the city of Munich. It is one of Munich's four principal orchestras, along with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Radio Orchestra and the Bavarian State Orche ...
. In the
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she has appeared with the
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...
, the
Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription concerts, n ...
, the
Chicago Symphony The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891, the ensemble has been based in the Symphony Center since 1904 and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Fes ...
, the
Pittsburgh Symphony The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra is resident at Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. Since 2008, the orchestra's music director is Manfred Ho ...
, the
St. Louis Symphony The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1880 by Joseph Otten as the St. Louis Choral Society, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest professional symphony o ...
, the
National Symphony Orchestra The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1930 by cellist Hans Kindler, its principal performing venue is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The NSO regularly ...
and the
Cleveland Orchestra The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1918 by the pianist and impresario Adella Prentiss Hughes, the orchestra is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the " Big Five". T ...
, among others. She has worked with major conductors of our time, including
Eugene Ormandy Eugene Ormandy (born Jenő Blau; November 18, 1899 – March 12, 1985) was a Hungarian-born American conductor and violinist, best known for his association with the Philadelphia Orchestra, as its music director. His 44-year association with ...
,
Riccardo Muti Riccardo Muti (; born 28 July 1941) is an Italian conductor. He is current music director of the Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini. Muti has previously held posts at the Maggio Musicale in Florence, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the ...
,
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski Stanislav and variants may refer to: People *Stanislav (given name), a Slavic given name with many spelling variations (Stanislaus, Stanislas, Stanisław, etc.) Places * Stanislav, Kherson Oblast, a coastal village in Ukraine * Stanislaus County, ...
and
Leonard Slatkin Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor, author and composer. Early life and education Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His fat ...
. The final composition of Argentine composer
Alberto Ginastera Alberto Evaristo Ginastera (; April 11, 1916June 25, 1983) was an Argentine composer of classical music. He is considered to be one of the most important 20th-century classical music, 20th-century classical composers of the Americas. Biography G ...
, ''Piano Sonata No. 3'', was dedicated to Nissman; its first performance was given at
Alice Tully Hall Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. The hall is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and Philanthropy, philanthropist whose donations assis ...
,
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5  ...
in 1982. Nissman uncovered the manuscript of Ginastera's ''Concierto Argentino'' in the Fleisher Collection of the
Free Library of Philadelphia The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system that serves the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the 16th-largest public library system in the United States. The Free Library of Philadelphia is a non-Mayoral agency of the ...
and reintroduced the piece in 2011 with the blessings of the composer's estate. In 2010, the last composition by
Benjamin Lees Benjamin Lees (January 8, 1924 – May 31, 2010) was an American composer of classical music. Early life Lees was born Benjamin George Lisniansky in Harbin, Manchuria, of Russian-Jewish descent. Lees was still an infant when his family emigrate ...
, ''Visage'', was written for Nissman. She has also participated in many other premiere performances. Nissman made history in 1989 by becoming the first pianist to perform the complete piano sonatas of
Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...
in a series of three recitals in both New York and London. Her recordings of this repertoire represented the first complete set of Prokofiev's piano sonatas made available on compact disc. In June 2014 at
Steinway Hall Steinway Hall (German: ) is the name of buildings housing concert halls, showrooms and sales departments for Steinway & Sons pianos. The first Steinway Hall was opened in 1866 in New York City. Today, Steinway Halls and are located in cities suc ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, Nissman launched her record label Three Oranges Recordings, devoted to furthering classical music and making it more accessible. In 2017, the Three Oranges Foundation was established with the primary goal of making classical music accessible and relevant to everyman: taking it into the community, bringing it into the schools, and making it part of the daily lives of the average person. The Foundation will support the innovative educational work of Barbara as manifested in her lectures, master-classes, informal concerts, solo and orchestral appearances, benefit concerts, and her uniquely conceived DVD series of educational master classes.


Education and awards

Nissman attended the
University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
on full scholarship and received a
Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...
degree in 1966. Upon graduation she was awarded the Stanley Medal (named after Albert A. Stanley, Director of the
School of Music A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...
from 1888 to 1921), "presented annually to the graduating senior...most outstanding in his or her curriculum, with special consideration given to scholarship and public performance." In 1966 she was awarded a three-year
National Defense Education Act The National Defense Education Act (NDEA) was signed into law on September 2, 1958, providing funding to United States education institutions at all levels.Schwegler 1 NDEA was among many science initiatives implemented by President Dwight ...
Title IV fellowship for her master and doctoral studies at the
University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
. Nissman was also awarded a three-year post-doctoral grant from the university (underwritten by the
Power Power may refer to: Common meanings * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power, a type of energy * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events Math ...
Foundation in 1969) to begin her international performing career. In 1981 she was the recipient of the Michigan Alumnae Council's Athena Award, bestowed annually since 1973 "on outstanding alumnae who have distinguished themselves in professional and humanitarian endeavors," and the
School of Music A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...
's Citation of Merit Award in 1996, presented annually "to recognize and honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions to society, their profession, r to the university" Nissman also received grants from the Martha Baird Rockefeller Foundation and
The Philadelphia Foundation The Philadelphia Foundation is a community foundation that serves the metropolitan Philadelphia community. The five primary counties served are Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery. It is one of the oldest and largest communit ...
, as well as a
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...
recital grant to present the
Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...
sonata series at
Alice Tully Hall Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. The hall is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and Philanthropy, philanthropist whose donations assis ...
,
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5  ...
in 1989. In 2003, Nissman was one of 23 pianists profiled in the article "Hall of Legends," which appeared in the ''
Steinway & Sons Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway (), is a German-American piano company, founded in 1853 in New York City by German piano builder Henry E. Steinway, Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway). The company's growth le ...
150th Anniversary Commemorative Publication''. The profiled pianists, chosen from the thousands of past and present
Steinway Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway (), is a German-American piano company, founded in 1853 in New York City by German piano builder Henry E. Steinway, Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway). The company's growth le ...
artists, also included
Martha Argerich Martha Argerich (; ; born 5 June 1941) is an Argentine classical concert pianist. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argerich gave her debut concert at the age of eight before receiving further piano training in Europe. At an early age, she won sev ...
,
Daniel Barenboim Daniel Moses Barenboim (; born 15 November 1942) is an Argentines, Argentine-Israeli classical pianist and conductor based in Berlin, who also has Spain, Spanish and State of Palestine, Palestinian citizenship. From 1992 until January 2023, Bare ...
,
Diana Krall Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, ''Billboard (magazi ...
,
Van Cliburn Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr. (July 12, 1934February 27, 2013) was an American pianist. At the age of 23, Cliburn achieved worldwide recognition when he won the inaugural International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1958 during the Cold ...
,
Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...
,
Harry Connick Jr. Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and former television host. As of 2019, he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling ma ...
,
James Levine James Lawrence Levine ( ; June 23, 1943 – March 9, 2021) was an American conductor and pianist. He was music director of the Metropolitan Opera from 1976 to 2016. He was terminated from all his positions and affiliations with the Met on March ...
,
Murray Perahia Murray David Perahia ( ; born April 19, 1947) is an American pianist and conductor. He has been considered one of the greatest living pianists. He was the first North American pianist to win the Leeds International Piano Competition, in 1972. ...
, Edward Kennedy Ellington,
Alfred Brendel Alfred Brendel (born 5 January 1931) is a Czech-born Austrian classical pianist, poet, author, composer, and lecturer who is noted for his performances of Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven. Biography Brendel was born in Wizemberk, Czechoslovakia ...
,
Randy Newman Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist, composer, conductor and orchestrator. He is known for his non-rhotic Southern American English, Southern-accented singing style, early America ...
,
Evgeny Kissin Evgeny Igorevich Kissin (, ; born 10 October 1971) is a Russian-born concert pianist and composer. He became a British citizen in 2002 and an Israeli citizen in 2013. He first came to international fame as a child prodigy. He has a wide reperto ...
,
Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...
,
Krystian Zimerman Krystian Zimerman (born 5 December 1956) is a Polish concert pianist, conductor and pedagogue who has been described as one of the greatest pianists of his generation. In 1975, he won the IX International Chopin Piano Competition. Following ...
,
Christopher O'Riley Christopher O'Riley is an American classical pianist and public radio show host. He was the host of the weekly National Public Radio program '' From the Top''. O'Riley is also known for his piano arrangements of songs by alternative musicians. ...
,
Maurizio Pollini Maurizio Pollini (5 January 1942 – 23 March 2024) was an Italian pianist and conductor. He was known for performances of Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, and the Second Viennese School, among others. He championed works by contemporary composers ...
,
Ignace Jan Paderewski Ignacy Jan Paderewski (;  r 1859– 29 June 1941) was a Polish pianist, composer and statesman who was a spokesman for Polish independence. In 1919, he was the nation's prime minister and foreign minister during which time he signed the Tre ...
,
Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and Conducting, conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a compos ...
,
Marcus Roberts Marthaniel "Marcus" Roberts (born August 7, 1963) is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and teacher. Early life Roberts was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. His mother was a gospel singer who had gone blind a ...
,
Mitsuko Uchida is a Japanese-English classical pianist and conductor. Born in Japan and naturalised in England, she is particularly notable for her interpretations of Mozart and Schubert. She has appeared with many notable orchestras, recorded a wide repert ...
,
Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...
, and
Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...
. In 2006, Nissman was elected to the Court of Honor of Distinguished Daughters of the
Philadelphia High School for Girls Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 1,603,797 in the 2020 census. The city is the urb ...
"for outstanding lifetime achievement as an internationally acclaimed concert pianist, recording artist and educator." In 2008 Nissman was a recipient of the Governor's Arts Award from the
State of West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous state in the Southern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bureau of ...
for "Distinguished Service to the Arts." In March 2016, she was honored by the
State of West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous state in the Southern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bureau of ...
Division of Culture and History with its "Order of the Arts & Historical Letters" as well as its "Excellence in Support of the Arts" award. In March, 2020 Nissman received the Governor's Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts from the State of West Virginia. In June, 2023, Barbara Nissman was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame joining well known classical musicians:
George Crumb George Henry Crumb Jr. (24 October 1929 – 6 February 2022) was an American composer of avant-garde contemporary classical music. Early in his life he rejected the widespread modernist usage of serialism, developing a highly personal musical ...
,
Eleanor Steber Eleanor Steber (July 17, 1914October 3, 1990) was an American operatic soprano. Steber is noted as one of the first major opera stars to have achieved the highest success with training and a career based in the United States. Life and career E ...
,
Phyllis Curtin Phyllis Curtin (née Smith; December 3, 1921 – June 5, 2016) was an American soprano and academic teacher who had an active career in operas and concerts from the early 1950s through the 1980s. She is known for her creation of roles in ope ...
and jazz and country greats from the state of West Virginia. In May, 2024, Barbara Nissman was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music degree from West Virginia University.


Alberto Ginastera

Barbara Nissman has long been associated with the music of
Argentine Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...
composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...
Alberto Ginastera Alberto Evaristo Ginastera (; April 11, 1916June 25, 1983) was an Argentine composer of classical music. He is considered to be one of the most important 20th-century classical music, 20th-century classical composers of the Americas. Biography G ...
, and the composer's final work, ''Piano Sonata No. 3'', Op. 54 (1982) is dedicated to her. In 1976 she was invited by the composer to play his ''Piano Concerto No. 1'', Op. 28 (1961) in Geneva at his sixtieth birthday celebration, where she performed the work with
L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) is a Swiss symphony orchestra, based in Geneva at the Victoria Hall. In addition to symphony concerts, the OSR performs as the opera orchestra in productions at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. History ...
conducted by
Jean-Marie Auberson Jean-Marie Auberson (May 2, 1920 – July 4, 2004) was a Swiss conductor and violinist. Early life and education Auberson was born in Chavornay, Vaud; his father, François Auberson, was a farmer. He studied violin and viola at the Lausanne Cons ...
. She also presented the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
premiere of the concerto at
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
’s
Concertgebouw Concertgebouw may refer to one of the following concert halls: * Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands * Concertgebouw, Bruges, Belgium * Concertgebouw de Vereeniging, Netherlands {{disambiguation Buildings and structures disambiguation pages ...
and its UK premiere with the
BBC Symphony The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. The ...
, and has performed the concerto with the
Chicago Symphony The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891, the ensemble has been based in the Symphony Center since 1904 and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Fes ...
,
St. Louis Symphony The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1880 by Joseph Otten as the St. Louis Choral Society, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest professional symphony o ...
and the
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...
under
Leonard Slatkin Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor, author and composer. Early life and education Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His fat ...
. In 2006 she co-hosted a five-part
BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...
series that featured Ginastera as Composer-of-the-Week. In 2011, with the
University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
Symphony Orchestra conducted by
Kenneth Kiesler Kenneth Kiesler (born August 18, 1953) is an American symphony orchestra and opera conductor and mentor to conductors. Kiesler is conductor laureate of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra where he was music director from 1980 to 2000 and founder and d ...
, she performed all 3 piano concertos in one evening including ''Concierto Argentino'' for piano and orchestra (an early work written in 1935 and then withdrawn from the catalogue by the composer shortly after its first performance) and the first performance in its original form of Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 39 (1972). Nissman et al.'s disc of all three concerti on the Pierian label represents the first recording of all three works and the "official reintroduction" of the ''Concierto Argentino''. After Nissman discovered this concerto in the Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Aurora Natola-Ginastera, the widow of the composer, granted her exclusivity to perform the work and also to make available its first recording. Nissman is also the editor of the new critical edition of Piano Concerto No. 2, published by
Boosey & Hawkes Boosey & Hawkes is a British Music publisher (sheet music), music publisher, purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass instrument, brass, string instru ...
. In 2016 Nissman celebrated Ginastera's 100th birthday with a series of concerts devoted to the man and his music at Spectrum in NYC and also at Kings Place, London as well as master classes and lectures throughout the UK. On April 28, 2016, Nissman gave a lecture and performed works by Ginastera at a special celebration held at the Argentine Embassy in Washington, D.C. Nissman's article "Remembering Alberto Ginastera--a centenary tribute" appeared in the April–June 2016 issue of ''
Musical Opinion ''Musical Opinion'', often abbreviated to ''MO'', is a European classical music magazine edited and produced in the UK. It is currently among the oldest such periodicals to be still publishing in the UK, having been continuously in publication ...
'' (UK) Her video documentary, ''Alberto Ginastera, "A Man of Latin America", A Masterclass with Barbara Nissman'' includes interviews with the composer and his family as well as the conductor
Leonard Slatkin Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor, author and composer. Early life and education Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His fat ...
,
Keith Emerson Keith Noel Emerson (2 November 194411 March 2016) was an English keyboardist, songwriter, composer and record producer. He played keyboards in a number of bands before finding his first commercial success with the Nice in the late 1960s. He be ...
of
Emerson, Lake & Palmer Emerson, Lake & Palmer (informally known as ELP) were an English progressive rock Supergroup (music), supergroup formed in London in 1970. The band consisted of Keith Emerson (keyboards) of The Nice, Greg Lake (vocals, bass, guitars, producer) ...
and jazz pianist
Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain (instrumental), Spain", "500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba" ...
. Masterclasses and performances by Barbara of his three piano sonatas and his early Danzas Argentinas are also included.


Sergei Prokofiev

Nissman made history in 1989 by becoming the first pianist to perform the complete piano sonatas of
Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...
in a series of three recitals in both New York and London, and premiered the two-page fragment of Prokofiev's ''Piano Sonata No. 10 in E minor'', Op. 137 (1952) during her Prokofiev series at
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5  ...
. Her recordings of this repertoire represented the first complete set of Prokofiev's piano sonatas made available on compact disc. As a Prokofiev scholar and authority, Nissman first visited the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
in 1984, at the height of the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, as a guest of the
Embassy of Denmark in Moscow The Embassy of Denmark in Moscow is the chief diplomatic mission of Denmark in the Russian Federation. It is located at 9 Prechistensky Lane () in the Khamovniki District of Moscow. See also * Denmark–Russia relations * Diplomatic missions ...
. In 1998 she returned to
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
as a guest of the
Moscow State Conservatory The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory () is a higher musical educational institution located in Moscow, Russia. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in musical performance and musical research. Th ...
to present master classes and concerts of Prokofiev's music, and also presented master classes at the
St. Petersburg Conservatory The N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory () (formerly known as the Petrograd Conservatory and Leningrad Conservatory) is a school of music in Saint Petersburg, Russia. In 2004, the conservatory had around 275 faculty members ...
. Awarded a grant by the Oleg Prokofiev Family Trust in the UK, Nissman has just released a video documentary, Serge Prokofiev “A Man Misunderstood” focusing on his Three War Sonatas including in-depth masterclasses and performances of each sonata by Nissman. Also included are interviews with his grandson, the composer Gabriel Prokofiev, his biographer Harlow Robinson and the Prokofiev expert from the Moscow Conservatory, Natalia Savkina. In commemoration of Prokofiev's 100th birthday in 1991, Nissman performed the complete cycle of his piano sonatas throughout
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
and the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. On May 8, 2004, Nissman presented a
lecture A lecture (from ) is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history, background, theo ...
at the
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...
titled "Prokofiev Meets Gershwin: Gershwin Meets Prokofiev," as part of a conference titled ''Prokofiev and America.'' The conference, which also featured lectures by
Arnold Whittall Arnold Whittall (born 1935) is a British musicologist and academic. Whittall's research areas have primarily been centred around the musical analysis of 20th-century music and aspects of the nineteenth-century, such as the music of Richard Wagner. ...
,
Alastair Macaulay Alastair Macaulay is an English writer and dance critic. He was the chief dance critic for ''The New York Times'' from 2007 until he retired in 2018. He was previously chief dance critic at ''The Times'' and Literary Supplement and chief theater cr ...
,
Harlow Robinson Harlow Loomis Robinson (born September 20, 1950) is a Matthews Distinguished University Professor of History at Northeastern University who specializes in Soviet and Russian cultural history, with writings on Soviet film and performing arts. ...
,
Noëlle Mann Noelle or Noëlle is the feminine form of the unisex name Noel. It derives from the old French Noël, "Christmas," a variant (and later a replacement) of nael, which itself derives from the Latin natalis, "birthday". Other nicknames and variat ...
, et al., was jointly sponsored by the university's Sergei Prokofiev Archive and its Institute of United States Studies (now the
Institute for the Study of the Americas The Institute for the Study of the Americas (ISA) was established in 2004 following a merger of the Institute of Latin American Studies and the Institute of United States Studies. ISA formed part of the University of London’s School of Advanc ...
). The lecture was adapted into an article titled "When Gershwin Met Prokofiev" that was printed in the Winter 2005 issue of ''Piano Today'' magazine and adapted for the January 2016 issue of the ''Three Oranges Journal''. Nissman also performed several of Prokofiev's solo piano works at the conference's John Coffin Memorial Recital. Nissman was a featured performer at the dedication of
Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
's Prokofiev Archive on April 24, 2015, with members of the Prokofiev family in attendance. She was also a featured performer at the International Prokofiev Symposium, held at
Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
in February 2016, that also featured addresses by
Richard Taruskin Richard Filler Taruskin (April 2, 1945 – July 1, 2022) was an American musicologist and music critic who was among the leading and most prominent music historians of his generation. The breadth of his scrutiny into source material as well as ...
, Simon Morrison and
Gabriel Prokofiev Gabriel Prokofiev (born 6 January 1975) is a Russian-British composer, producer, DJ, and founder of the Nonclassical record label and nightclub. He has been nominated for two Ivor Novello Awards and his works have been performed internationall ...
. Prokofiev biographer Daniel Jaffé, in the December 2008 issue of
BBC Music Magazine ''BBC Music Magazine'' is a British monthly magazine that focuses primarily on classical music. The first issue appeared in September 1992. BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC, was the original owner and publisher together with ...
, selected Nissman's recordings as the best recordings of Prokofiev's piano music. Awarded a grant by the UK-based Oleg Prokofiev Family Trust, Nissman released in 2025 a video documentary, ''Serge Prokofiev “A Man Misunderstood”'' focusing on his Three War Sonatas, including in-depth masterclasses and performances of each sonata by Nissman. Also included are interviews with his grandson, the composer
Gabriel Prokofiev Gabriel Prokofiev (born 6 January 1975) is a Russian-British composer, producer, DJ, and founder of the Nonclassical record label and nightclub. He has been nominated for two Ivor Novello Awards and his works have been performed internationall ...
, his biographer
Harlow Robinson Harlow Loomis Robinson (born September 20, 1950) is a Matthews Distinguished University Professor of History at Northeastern University who specializes in Soviet and Russian cultural history, with writings on Soviet film and performing arts. ...
and a Prokofiev expert from the Moscow Conservatory, Natalia Savkina.


Béla Bartók

In 2002
Scarecrow Press Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an American independent academic publishing company founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns ...
published Nissman's book, ''Bartók and the Piano: A Performer's View'', including a full-length CD of selected works performed by the author. At the University of Michigan Nissman studied with
György Sándor György Sándor (; 21 September 1912 – 9 December 2005) was a Hungarian pianist and writer. Early years Sándor was born in Budapest. He studied at the Liszt Academy in Budapest under Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, and debuted as ...
, himself a student of
Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hunga ...
. Nissman was the first to perform and record Bartók’s unpublished 1898 Sonata, which she discovered in the
Morgan Library The Morgan Library & Museum (originally known as the Pierpont Morgan Library and colloquially known the Morgan) is a museum and research library in New York City, New York, U.S. Completed in 1906 as the private library of the banker J. P. Morg ...
's manuscript collection while researching her book. ''Out of Doors'', the first release on Nissman's own label Three Oranges Recordings, pays homage to Bartok's 1926 composition.


Three Oranges Recordings

Three Oranges Recordings is an
independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...
conceived by Nissman and registered as a business in the
State of West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous state in the Southern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bureau of ...
on January 1, 2014. The mission and purpose of the label is to educate and further the cause of classical music, making it more accessible, relevant and enjoyable to a larger audience. Three Oranges Recordings was created to maintain ownership and control of Nissman's complete discography when prior arrangements dissolved. The official launch of the label took place on June 19, 2014 at Steinway Hall in New York City and included an informal concert of excerpts from the first two releases on the new label, ''Out of Doors'' and ''Fireworks!'', followed by a reception and CD signing. The record label was also launched in Pittsburgh at Duquesne University on May 14, 2014. At present the label includes 33 releases.


Notable achievements

From 1977 to 1980 Nissman served as
artist in residence Artist-in-residence (also Writer-in-residence), or artist residencies, encompass a wide spectrum of artistic programs that involve a collaboration between artists and hosting organisations, institutions, or communities. They are programs that pr ...
for the
John Deere Deere & Company, Trade name, doing business as John Deere (), is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, Transmission (mechanical device), transmi ...
corporation, providing "recitals, master classes, and a music lecture series to Deere plant communities in the U.S. and abroad for six months each year." This was the first time an international corporation employed a classical artist to appear in factories, plants, and branch houses throughout the United States, Mexico and Europe. Prior to her work with John Deere, she participated in the Affiliate Artists program, serving from 1974 to 1976 as Affiliate Artist for the Arizona Commission on the Arts, widening the audience for classical music by presenting informal concerts at unconventional venues. From 1978 to 1980, Nissman appeared on
BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1 January 1927. It p ...
's popular daytime show, ''Pebble Mill at One'', and introduced the series ''Barbara & Friends'' with Barbara chatting informally about her favorite composer "friends" and their music. A documentary was made by
BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1 January 1927. It p ...
about Barbara and her outreach work in schools, factories and in the concert hall. In 1982, Nissman was the featured performer in the first Gracht (Canal) concert held in Amsterdam on the
Prinsengracht The Prinsengracht is a -long canal that runs parallel to the Keizersgracht in the center of Amsterdam. The canal, named after the Prince of Orange, is the fourth of the four main canals belonging to the Grachtengordel, canal belt. History Const ...
and attended by 8,000 people. The Prinsengracht concerts have remained a popular summer tradition, with audiences arriving on foot or in their boats to listen. 40 years later, in 2022, Nissman again was a lead star at the famous
Prinsengrachtconcert The Prinsengrachtconcert is an annual open-air classical music concert held annually in August since 1981. It occurs on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam. The orchestra is situated on a pontoon anchored in front of the Hotel Pulitzer. Many of the ...
. In 1984 Nissman was one of the featured performers at the Dedication of the American Poets' Corner at the
Cathedral of St. John the Divine The Cathedral of St. John the Divine (sometimes referred to as St. John's and also nicknamed St. John the Unfinished) is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. It is at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue in the Morningside Heights neighborhoo ...
in New York.
Walter Cronkite Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009) was an American broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the ''CBS Evening News'' from 1962 to 1981. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trust ...
hosted the event that also included appearances by
Rosalyn Tureck Rosalyn Tureck (December 14, 1913 – July 17, 2003) was an American pianist and harpsichordist who was particularly associated with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. However, she had a wide-ranging repertoire that included works by composers ...
,
Paul Winter Paul Winter (born August 31, 1939) is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He is a pioneer of world music and earth music, which interweaves the voices of the wild with instrumental voices from classical, jazz and world music. The ...
,
Michael Tree Michael Tree (February 19, 1934 – March 30, 2018), born Michael Applebaum, was an American violist. Biography Tree was born in Newark, New Jersey. His principal studies were with Efrem Zimbalist on violin and viola at the Curtis Institute o ...
,
Zubin Mehta Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor :wikt:emeritus, emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mehta's father ...
, and readings by the actor
Gregory Peck Eldred Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an American actor and one of the most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1970s. In 1999, the American Film Institute named Peck the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 12th-greatest male ...
and the poets
Robert Penn Warren Robert Penn Warren (April 24, 1905 – September 15, 1989) was an American poet, novelist, literary critic and professor at Yale University. He was one of the founders of New Criticism. He was also a charter member of the Fellowship of Southern ...
, Daniel Haberman and Edgar Bowers. In 1988, Nissman was one of the participants in the "International Celebration of the Piano" held at
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...
, celebrating
Steinway Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway (), is a German-American piano company, founded in 1853 in New York City by German piano builder Henry E. Steinway, Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway). The company's growth le ...
's 135th anniversary. For the 1996
Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...
25th Anniversary Gala Concert, broadcast on public television, Nissman performed two numbers arranged for ten pianos, alongside pianists
Leonard Slatkin Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor, author and composer. Early life and education Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His fat ...
(who also conducted the ensemble), David Buechner,
Cy Coleman Cy Coleman (born Seymour Kaufman; June 14, 1929 – November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. Life and career Coleman was born Seymour Kaufman in New York City, to Ashkenazi, Eastern European Jewish parents, an ...
,
Joseph Kalichstein Joseph Kalichstein (; 15 January 1946 – 31 March 2022) was an American classical pianist who performed in the concerto, solo recital and chamber music repertoire, the latter mainly with Jaime Laredo and Sharon Robinson (cellist), Sharon Robinso ...
,
Peter Nero Peter Nero (born Bernard Nierow; May 22, 1934 – July 6, 2023) was an American pianist and pops conductor. He directed the Philly Pops from 1979 to 2013, and earned two Grammy Awards, including the award for Best New Artist in 1962, as well ...
,
David Hyde Pierce David Hyde Pierce (born David Pierce; April 3, 1959) is an American actor. Known for his portrayal of psychiatrist Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Frasier'' from 1993 to 2004, he received four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting A ...
,
Peter Schickele Peter Schickele (; July 17, 1935 – January 16, 2024) was an American composer, musical educator and parodist, best known for comedy albums featuring his music, which he presented as being composed by the fictional P. D. Q. Bach. He also hoste ...
, Jeffrey Siegel, and
Alicia Witt Alicia Roanne Witt (born August 21, 1975) is an American actress and musician. She first came to fame as a child actress after being discovered by David Lynch, who cast her in ''Dune'' (1984) and ''Twin Peaks'' (1990). Witt was a regular on Cyb ...
. Since 2002, Nissman has been involved with the Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation benefit concert series "A Concerted Effort". To date these concerts have raised well over two million dollars for AIDS service organizations worldwide. In November 2014 she performed at a gala at the
de Young Museum The de Young Museum, formally the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, is a fine arts museum located in San Francisco, California, named for early San Francisco newspaperman M. H. de Young. Located on the West Side (San Francisco), West Side of the ci ...
in San Francisco to honor Dr. Arthur Ammann, founder of Global Strategies, an organization that serves the healthcare needs of women and children in neglected areas of the world. In 2007, Nissman appeared on stage with
Don Henley Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician who is a founding member of the rock band the Eagles, for whom he is the drummer and co-lead vocalist, as well as its sole continuous member. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles ...
and
Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...
, performing on the "Walden Woods Steinway" in a gala fundraiser for the
Walden Woods Project The Walden Woods Project (WWP) is a nonprofit organization located in Lincoln, Massachusetts, devoted to the legacy of Henry David Thoreau and the preservation of Walden Woods, the forest around Walden Pond that spans Lincoln and Concord, Massachus ...
, held at
Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz at Lincoln Center is an organization based in New York City. Part of Lincoln Center, the organization was founded in 1987 and opened at Time Warner Center (now Deutsche Bank Center) in October 2004. The organization seeks to “represent th ...
.


Books, Writings and Editions (selected)

* Author of ''Bartók and the Piano: A Performer's View'', published by Scarecrow Press with a full-length CD of selected Bartók works performed by the author * Editor of the Critical Edition of ''Piano Concerto No. 2'' by Alberto Ginastera, published by Boosey & Hawkes in 2016 (also contributed to the editing of Ginastera's ''Piano Sonata No. 2'', ''Piano Sonata No. 3'' and ''Concierto Argentino'', all published by Boosey & Hawkes) * Contributor to ''The Pianist's Craft'', published by Scarecrow Press and edited by Richard P. Anderson: "Sergei Prokofiev, A Man Misunderstood" * Contributor to ''The Pianist's Craft 2'', published by Rowman & Littlefield and edited by Richard P. Anderson: "Remembering Alberto Ginastera" * Contributor to ''Remembering Horowitz: 125 Pianists Recall a Legend'', first published by Schirmer Books and compiled and edited by
David Dubal David Dubal (born Cleveland, Ohio) is an American pianist, teacher, author, lecturer, broadcaster, and painter. Musician and painter Dubal has given piano recitals and master classes worldwide, and has also judged international piano competitio ...
* Contributor to "Understanding Bartók" symposium in March/April 2014 issue of ''International Piano'' magazine (UK) * Contributor to "Prokofiev's Pianism" symposium in July/August 2013 issue of ''International Piano'' magazine (UK) * Author of "Remembering Ginastera" for ''Piano Today'' (cover story) * Author of "Remembering Alberto Ginastera—a centenary tribute," ''
Musical Opinion ''Musical Opinion'', often abbreviated to ''MO'', is a European classical music magazine edited and produced in the UK. It is currently among the oldest such periodicals to be still publishing in the UK, having been continuously in publication ...
'', UK (April–June 2016 issue) * Author of "When Gershwin met Prokofiev" for ''Piano Today'' (cover story of Winter 2005 issue); also adapted for ''Three Oranges Journal'' (Jan. 2016)"Prokofiev encounters Gershwin, Gershwin encounters Prokofiev: A Performer's View" (Jan. 2016)
/ref> * Author of "The Many Faces of Prokofiev as seen through his Piano Concertos" for ''Three Oranges Journal'' (November 2002 issue) * Additional articles and master classes on
Ginastera Alberto Evaristo Ginastera (; April 11, 1916June 25, 1983) was an Argentine composer of classical music. He is considered to be one of the most important 20th-century classical composers of the Americas. Biography Ginastera was born in Buenos A ...
,
Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...
, Bartók &
Liszt Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic period. With a diverse body of work spanning more than six decades, he is considered to be one of the most pro ...
published in ''Keynote'', ''Keyboard Classics'', ''Piano Today'', ''
Musical Opinion ''Musical Opinion'', often abbreviated to ''MO'', is a European classical music magazine edited and produced in the UK. It is currently among the oldest such periodicals to be still publishing in the UK, having been continuously in publication ...
'' (UK), ''Piano'' (UK), ''
Musical Times ''The Musical Times'' was an academic journal of classical music edited and produced in the United Kingdom. It was originally created by Joseph Mainzer in 1842 as ''Mainzer's Musical Times and Singing Circular'', but in 1844 he sold it to Alfr ...
'' (UK)


DVD Series

*''Sergei Prokofiev, "A Man Misunderstood", The Three War Sonatas (1939-1944)''. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-33, 2025. A 2-DVD video set providing an introduction to the War Sonatas, and detailed masterclasses and performances of them; interviews with
Gabriel Prokofiev Gabriel Prokofiev (born 6 January 1975) is a Russian-British composer, producer, DJ, and founder of the Nonclassical record label and nightclub. He has been nominated for two Ivor Novello Awards and his works have been performed internationall ...
, the composer's grandson;
Harlow Robinson Harlow Loomis Robinson (born September 20, 1950) is a Matthews Distinguished University Professor of History at Northeastern University who specializes in Soviet and Russian cultural history, with writings on Soviet film and performing arts. ...
, biographer of Prokofiev; and Natalia Savkina, a Prokofiev expert from the Moscow Conservatory. * ''Alberto Ginastera, "A Man of Latin America", A Masterclass with Barbara Nissman''. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-30, 2022. A 2-DVD video set about one of South America's most prominent composers of the twentieth century. Barbara worked with Ginastera and shares her passion for his music in this portrait and master class. Ginastera's final work, the Third Sonata, was written for Barbara, and in the second disc presents a master class on all three sonatas, as well as his earlier popular Danzas Argentinas, and includes complete performances of these masterpieces. Also included are interviews with the composer, his wife and daughter, as well as an interview with conductor
Leonard Slatkin Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor, author and composer. Early life and education Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His fat ...
about his final orchestral work, the
Popol Vuh ''Popol Vuh'' (also ''Popul Vuh'' or ''Pop Vuj'') is a text recounting the mythology and history of the Kʼicheʼ people of Guatemala, one of the Maya peoples who also inhabit the Mexican states of Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo, ...
and interviews with the late
Keith Emerson Keith Noel Emerson (2 November 194411 March 2016) was an English keyboardist, songwriter, composer and record producer. He played keyboards in a number of bands before finding his first commercial success with the Nice in the late 1960s. He be ...
of
Emerson, Lake & Palmer Emerson, Lake & Palmer (informally known as ELP) were an English progressive rock Supergroup (music), supergroup formed in London in 1970. The band consisted of Keith Emerson (keyboards) of The Nice, Greg Lake (vocals, bass, guitars, producer) ...
and the late jazz pianist
Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain (instrumental), Spain", "500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba" ...
. * ''Franz Liszt: Portrait of the Man and His Masterwork, the 'Sonata in B minor. Three Orange Recordings 3OR-21, 2017. With
Michael York Michael York (born Michael Hugh Johnson; 27 March 1942) is an English film, television, and stage actor. After performing on stage with the Royal National Theatre, he had a breakthrough in films by playing Tybalt in Franco Zeffirelli's ''Romeo ...
as the voice of Liszt, this is the first in a series of master-classes on DVD, written and conceived by Nissman. Also heard as Liszt's contemporaries are
Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...
( Chopin),
Don Henley Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician who is a founding member of the rock band the Eagles, for whom he is the drummer and co-lead vocalist, as well as its sole continuous member. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles ...
(
Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, often set within studied ye ...
),
Harry Connick Jr. Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and former television host. As of 2019, he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling ma ...
(
Czerny Czerny is a surname meaning "black" in some Slavic languages. It is one of many variant forms, including Czarny, Černý, Czernik, Cherney, and Čierny, among others. People Notable people with this surname include: * Adalbert Czerny (1863–194 ...
),
Rebecca De Mornay Rebecca De Mornay (born August 29, 1959) is an American actress. Her breakthrough film role came in 1983, when she starred in '' Risky Business''. De Mornay is also known for her roles in '' The Slugger's Wife'' (1985), '' Runaway Train'' (1985 ...
(
Clara Schumann Clara Josephine Schumann (; ; née Wieck; 13 September 1819 – 20 May 1896) was a German pianist, composer, and piano teacher. Regarded as one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic music, Romantic era, she exerted her influence o ...
),
Rosemary Harris Rosemary Ann Harris (born 19 September 1927) is an English actress. She is the recipient of an Primetime Emmy Award, Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and three Lauren ...
( Princess Carolyne Wittgenstein),
John Schuck Conrad John Schuck Jr. (born February 4, 1940) is an American film, stage, and television actor. He is best known for his role as Sergeant Charles Enright in the 1970s crime drama ''McMillan & Wife''. He also played Herman Munster in the late- ...
(
Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...
),
Leonard Slatkin Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor, author and composer. Early life and education Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His fat ...
(
Schumann Robert Schumann (; ; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and music critic of the early Romantic music, Romantic era. He composed in all the main musical genres of the time, writing for solo piano, voice and piano, chamber ...
),
Peter Schickele Peter Schickele (; July 17, 1935 – January 16, 2024) was an American composer, musical educator and parodist, best known for comedy albums featuring his music, which he presented as being composed by the fictional P. D. Q. Bach. He also hoste ...
(
Berlioz Louis-Hector Berlioz (11 December 1803 – 8 March 1869) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer and conductor. His output includes orchestral works such as the ''Symphonie fantastique'' and ''Harold en Italie, Harold in Italy'' ...
),
David Dubal David Dubal (born Cleveland, Ohio) is an American pianist, teacher, author, lecturer, broadcaster, and painter. Musician and painter Dubal has given piano recitals and master classes worldwide, and has also judged international piano competitio ...
(
Heine Heine is both a surname and a given name of German origin. People with that name include: People with the surname * Albert Heine (1867–1949), German actor * Alice Heine (1858–1925), American-born princess of Monaco * Armand Heine (1818–1883) ...
),
Manfred Honeck Manfred Honeck (born 17 September 1958, in Nenzing) is an Austrian conductor. He is currently the music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Early life Honeck was born in Nenzing, Austria, near the border with Switzerland and Liechte ...
(
Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...
,
Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...
),
Barbara Feldon Barbara Feldon (born Barbara Anne Hall; March 12, 1933) is an American actress primarily known for her roles on television. Her most prominent role was that of Agent 99 in the 1965–1970 sitcom ''Get Smart''. Early life Feldon was born Barbar ...
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Bill McGlaughlin William McGlaughlin (born October 3, 1943) is an American composer, conductor, music educator, and Peabody Award-winning classical music radio host. He is the host and music director of the public radio programs '' Exploring Music'' and ''Saint ...
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Grieg Edvard Hagerup Grieg ( , ; 15 June 18434 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use of N ...
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Hans von Bülow Freiherr Hans Guido von Bülow (; 8 January 1830 – 12 February 1894) was a German conductor, pianist, and composer of the Romantic era. As one of the most distinguished conductors of the 19th century, his activity was critical for establishi ...
) and the voices of Anna Singer, Dennis Rooney, Pete Ballard, Kermit Medsker & Jon Cavendish.The second part focuses on Liszt's masterwork, the B minor Sonata with personal insights into performance and appreciation of this complex work. A concert performance of the Sonata in B minor concludes this 2-DVD set.


Discography (selected)

* ''Beethoven: Voice of the Future''. Piano Sonata No. 22 (Op. 54), No. 24 (Op. 78), No. 26 (Op. 81a; Les Adieux), No. 27 (Op. 90), and No. 28 (Op. 101). Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-32 (2023) * ''Beethoven: The Visionary''. Piano Sonata No. 15 (Op. 28; Pastorale), No. 17 (Op. 31 No. 2; Tempest), and No. 18 (Op. 31 No. 3; The Hunt). Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-31 (2022) * ''Schubert: Voice of a Poet''. The Last Sonatas. D.959, D.960. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-29 (2021) * ''Watershed: Orchestral Works by Lynn Emberg Purse''. Orchestral works, to include: Watershed, Sketches of America, Arcadian Tone Poems. Duquesne University Symphony Orchestra et al., Daniel Meyer and Sidney Harth, conductors. 3OR-28 (2020) *''Beethoven: The Virtuoso''. The Early Sonatas. Piano Sonata No. 3 (Op. 2, No. 3), No. 4 (Op. 7), No. 12 (Op. 26). Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-27 (2020) *''Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev & Ramey''. Rachmaninoff Second Piano Sonata (earlier, uncut version), Six Moments Musicaux, Prokofiev Tenth Sonata fragment (1953), plus the first performance of Phillip Ramey's Tenth Piano Sonata, dedicated to Barbara Nissman. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-26 (2019) * ''Chopin: The Nocturnes and Barcarolle & Polonaise in F♯ minor''. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-25 (2017) * ''CHOPIN!'' Sonata in B minor, Berceuse, Four Scherzi. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-24 (2017) * ''Beethoven: The Late Sonatas''. Piano Sonata No. 30 (Op. 109), No. 31 (Op. 110) and No. 32 (Op. 111). Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-23 (2017) * ''Liszt: The Transcendentals''. 12 Etudes, plus ''Funérailles'' and ''Valse Oubliée No. 1 in F♯ minor''. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-22 (2017) * ''Fireworks!'' Brahms Sonata no. 3 in F minor, plus music by Liszt, Scarlatti and Debussy. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-20 (2014) * ''Out of Doors.'' Bartók ''Out of Doors'', plus music by Schubert, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Hummel, Mendelssohn and Prokofiev. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-19 (2014) * ''Fascinating Rhythms!'' Music of Prokofiev, Schumann, Chopin, Benjamin Lees, Albéniz, Ginastera and Gershwin. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-18 (reissue of Pierian 0046) (2014) * ''Not TOO serious...'' Beethoven's ''Diabelli Variations'', plus music of Bartók, Liszt and Prokofiev. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-17 (reissue of Pierian 0045) (2014) * ''Romantic Tales.'' Music of Chopin, Ravel, Prokofiev, Buxtehude (arr. Prokofiev), Scriabin, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Rachmaninoff. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-16 (reissue of Pierian 0043) (2014) * ''Love & War.'' Prokofiev's Sonata no. 6, plus music of Liszt, Benjamin Lees, Bartók and Chopin. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-15 (reissue of Pierian 0041) (2014) * ''Journeys of the Soul.'' Music of Bach, Ravel, Liszt, Scriabin and Balakirev. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-14 (reissue of Pierian 0038) (2014) * ''Triumph!'' Beethoven "Hammerklavier", plus music of Bach, Liszt and Prokofiev. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-13 (reissue of Pierian 0037) (2014) * ''Glory in the Highest!'' Music of Bach-Busoni, Barber, Franck, Beethoven, Granados, Ginastera and Debussy. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-12 (reissue of Pierian 0036) (2014) * ''Dramatic Visions.'' Music of Beethoven, Prokofiev, Schubert, Wagner, Liszt and Chopin. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-11 (reissue of Pierian 0035) (2014) * ''Love & Loss, Volume II: Music of Rachmaninoff.'' ''Études-Tableaux'' Op. 33 & 39, plus other pieces. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-10 (reissue of Pierian 0031) (2014) * ''Love & Loss, Volume I: Music of Rachmaninoff.'' ''Preludes'' Op. 23 & 32. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-09 (reissue of Pierian 0028) (2014) * ''A Noble Heart: Music of Johannes Brahms.'' Sonata no. 2 in F♯ minor, plus other works. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-08 (reissue of Pierian 0027) (2014) * ''The Storyteller: Music of Robert Schumann.'' ''Kreisleriana'', ''Fantasy'', plus other works. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-07 (reissue of Pierian 0025) (2014) * ''Longing...Music of Frederic Chopin.'' ''Polonaise-Fantasy'', plus other works. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-06 (reissue of Pierian 0019) (2014) * ''Visions: Sonatas of Beethoven, Vol. I.'' Waldstein, Moonlight, and Appassionata sonatas, plus Rondo op. 129. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-05 (reissue of Pierian 0020) (2014) * ''Folk Music & More: Music of Béla Bartók.'' Sonata (1898), plus other works. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-04 (reissue of Pierian 0016) (2014) * ''Superstar! Music of Franz Liszt.'' Sonata in B minor and other works. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-03 (reissue of Pierian 0015) (2014) * ''Prokofiev by Nissman: The Complete Sonatas.'' Sonatas 1-10 (both versions of no. 5); Four Pieces, Op. 4; Toccata; Sarcasms; Visions Fugitives. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-02 (reissue of Pierian 0007/8/9) (2014) * ''Alberto Ginastera: The Complete Music for Piano & Piano/Chamber Ensembles''. Sonatas 1–3, Danzas Argentinas, Tres Piezas, Malambo, plus other works. Three Oranges Recordings 3OR-01 (reissue of Pierian 0005/6) (2014) *''Nissman Plays Ginastera: The Three Piano Concertos''. Barbara Nissman, piano; Kenneth Kiesler, conductor; University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra. Pierian 0048 (2012) * ''Recital Favorites by Nissman Volume 8''. Music of Prokofiev, Schumann, Chopin, Benjamin Lees, Albéniz, Ginastera and Gershwin. Pierian 0046 (2011) * ''Recital Favorites by Nissman Volume 7''. Beethoven's ''Diabelli Variations'', plus music of Bartók, Liszt and Prokofiev. Pierian 0045 (2011) * ''Recital Favorites by Nissman Volume 6''. Music of Chopin, Ravel, Prokofiev, Buxtehude (arr. Prokofiev), Scriabin, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Rachmaninoff. Pierian 0043 (2011) * ''Recital Favorites by Nissman Volume 5''. Prokofiev's ''Sonata no. 6'', plus music of Liszt, Benjamin Lees, Bartók and Chopin. Pierian 0041 (2010) * ''Recital Favorites by Nissman Volume 4''. Music of Bach, Ravel, Liszt, Scriabin and Balakirev. Pierian 0038 (2009) * ''Recital Favorites by Nissman Volume 3''. Beethoven "Hammerklavier", plus music of Bach, Liszt and Prokofiev. Pierian 0037 (2009) * ''Recital Favorites by Nissman Volume 2''. Music of Bach-Busoni, Barber, Franck, Beethoven, Granados, Ginastera and Debussy. Pierian 0036 (2008) * ''Recital Favorites by Nissman Volume 1''. Music of Beethoven, Prokofiev, Schubert, Wagner, Liszt and Chopin. Pierian 0035 (2008) * ''Rachmaninoff by Nissman: Volume 2''. The Etudes, Op. 33, Op. 39, plus three Transcriptions. Pierian 0031 (2007) * ''Rachmaninoff by Nissman Volume 1''. The Preludes, Op. 3, No. 2; Op. 23; Op. 32. Pierian 0028 (2006) * ''Brahms by Nissman''. ''Sonata no. 2 in F♯ minor'', plus other works. Pierian 0027 (2005) * ''Schumann by Nissman''. ''Kreisleriana'', ''Fantasy'', plus other works. Pierian 0025 (2005) * ''Beethoven by Nissman''. Waldstein, Moonlight, and Appassionata sonatas, plus Rondo op. 129. Pierian 0020 (2003) * ''Chopin by Nissman''. ''Polonaise-Fantasy'', plus other works. (CD) Pierian 0019 (2003) * ''Bartók by Nissman''. Sonata (1898), plus other works. Pierian 0016 (2003) * ''Liszt by Nissman''. ''Sonata in B minor'' and other works. Pierian 0015 (2002) * ''Alberto Ginastera—The Complete Music for Piano & Piano Chamber Ensembles''. (2-CD set) Pierian 0005/6 (reissue of Newport Classic NPD 85510 & 85511; licensed from Sony Music Entertainment) (2001) * ''Prokofiev by Nissman: The Complete Sonatas''. (3-CD set) Pierian 007/8/9 (reissue of Newport Classic NCD 6009/3/4; licensed from Sony Music Entertainment) (2001) * ''Franz Liszt: The Sonata in B minor and other works for solo piano''. Newport Classic NPD 85538 (1993) * ''Malambo- Alberto Ginastera: The Complete Music for Piano & Piano Chamber Ensembles, Volume II''. Barbara Nissman, piano; Aurora Natola-Ginastera, cello; Ruben Gonzalez, violin; The Laurentian String Quartet. Newport Classic NPD85511 (1992) * ''Criolla- Alberto Ginastera: The Complete Music for Piano & Piano Chamber Ensembles, Volume 1''. Newport Classic NPD 85510 (1991) * ''Sergei Prokofiev- Complete Piano Sonatas- Volume III''. Sonatas 9 & 10; Four Pieces, Op. 4; Toccata; Sarcasms; Visions Fugitives. (CD; analytically indexed disc) Newport Classic NCD 60094 (1989) * ''Sergei Prokofiev- Complete Piano Sonatas- Volume II''. Sonatas 6–8. (CD; analytically indexed disc) Newport Classic NCD 60093 (1989) * ''Sergei Prokofiev- Complete Piano Sonatas- Volume I''. Sonatas 1–4; both versions of No. 5. (CD; analytically indexed disc) Newport Classic NCD 60092 (1989) * ''Alberto Ginastera, Piano Music''. (LP; American release of 1981 CBS 71107 recording) Desto DC 7229 (1984) * ''Franz Liszt: 6 Paganini Etudes; 3 Concert Etudes; Rhapsodie Espagnole''. (LP) Globe Records GLOCX15003 (1982-Holland) * ''Barbara Nissman plays Ginastera''. (LP) Sonata No. 1; Danzas Argentinas; 12 American Preludes; Rondo; Danzas Criollas. CBS 71107 (1981-Holland)


References


External links


Official website of Barbara Nissman

Website of Three Oranges Recordings
* (with perf's of Bartók, Schubert, Rachmaninoff et al.)
Barbara Nissman's YouTube channel

Playlist of Barbara Nissman piano performances
at YouTube
The Life and Work of Barbara Nissman
(doctoral dissertation by Giuliana Contreras, West Virginia University, College of Creative Arts 2018) {{DEFAULTSORT:Nissman, Barbara Living people American women classical pianists Musicians from Philadelphia Philadelphia High School for Girls alumni 1944 births University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance alumni Classical musicians from Pennsylvania 21st-century American classical pianists 21st-century American women pianists