Bruce Levingston

Bruce Levingston is an American concert pianist and recording artist. Renowned for his interpretations of contemporary music and innovative programming, critics praise Levingston's performances for their nuanced expression, vibrant color, and profound emotional depth. ''The New York Times'' critic Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim noted his "mastery of color and nuance." ''The New Yorker'' called him the "essential New York pianist” and praised his advocacy for new music, writing “this thoughtful pianist has enriched the instrument’s repertoire considerably." In a 2011 review for ''The New York Times'', Steve Smith wrote that "Mr. Levingston, in particular, values illuminating connections among the pieces he programs,” and ''I Care If You Listen'' recognized Levingston as "a caring and virtuosic leader in the field.”'

Career

Performances

Bruce Levingston has performed on many of the world’s great stages, including multiple solo appearances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Levingston has also appeared in numerous performances at the Boston Opera House, New York’s City Center, Teatro Reggio, Teatro del Lago and the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden. His repertoire encompasses composers of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern eras, including Bach, Scarlatti, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Satie, Debussy, Ravel, Messiaen, Janacek, Webern, Glass, Kurtág and Ligeti.

Collaborations

Levingston has premiered works by many contemporary composers, including Timo Andres, Lisa Bielawa, William Bolcom, David Bruce, Sebastian Currier, David del Tredici, Nolan Gasser, Philip Glass, György Kurtág, David T. Little, Keeril Makan, James Matheson, George Perle, Wolfgang Rihm, Charles Wuorinen, and Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky. He has performed with well-known musicians including solo and duo performances with Philip Glass at Brooklyn Academy of Music and Lincoln Center. Levingston has also performed with violinist Colin Jacobsen at Carnegie Hall, Library of Congress, Lincoln Center, and with Brooklyn Rider at Poisson Rouge.

Levingston has also collaborated with prominent figures from other artistic disciplines including Chuck Close, Herman Cornejo, Michael Cunningham, Jorma Elo, Alessandra Ferri, Ethan Hawke, Nick McDonnell, George Plimpton, and Kevin Young.
In 2004, Levingston commissioned Philip Glass to compose "A Musical Portrait of Chuck Close" in honor of David Rockefeller’s 90th birthday. Levingston was inspired to commission the work after viewing a portrait of Philip Glass created by Chuck Close at Rockefeller University.

The Close-Glass portrait was gifted to Rockefeller University by David Rockefeller. In 2005, Levingston premiered Philip Glass’s "A Musical Portrait of Chuck Close" at Lincoln Center. In 2006, Levingston recorded “A Musical Portrait of Chuck Close" for his album, ''Portraits''. In 2007, Levingston performed Glass’ "A Musical Portrait of Chuck Close" live for American Ballet Theatre’s premiere production of Jorma Elo’s "C. to C."

Films

Levingston’s recordings of Philip Glass’s music are featured on the soundtracks of Scott Hicks’ film Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts and Marion Cajori’s film "Chuck Close". In 2007, Levingston gave a live performance of Erik Satie’s score written for Rene Clair’s surreal film '' Entr’acte'' at the French Institute Alliançe Française in New York City. In 2008, Levingston commissioned composer Keeril Makan to create scores for films by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí which Levingston premiered live for Rooftop Films in conjunction with the Museum of Modern Art’s exhibition “Dalí: Painting and Film”. In 2016, Levingston interviewed Ken Burns for the PBS series Conversations. In 2016, Levingston commissioned cinematographer Jarred Alterman to create a film set to Nolan Gasser’s score ''American Citizen'' inspired by the Marie Hull painting of the same name. In 2016, Levingston gave premieres of the Gasser score of ''American Citizen'' with a showing of the Alterman film at Carnegie Hall and Georgetown University.

Publications

Levingston has written for ''Piano and Keyboard'' and is author and editor of ''Bright Fields: The Mastery of Marie Hull''.

Premiere Commission

In 2001, Levingston founded Premiere Commission, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the work of living composers. In this capacity, Levingston has facilitated the creation and premieres of new compositions by important contemporary composers including Lisa Bielawa, William Bolcom, David Bruce, John Corigliano, Sebastian Currier, Fred Hersch, David T. Little, Keeril Makan, Philippe Manoury, David Del Tredici, Philip Glass, Cecil Price Walden, Charles Wuorinen, and Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky.

Advocate

Human Rights

In 2016, Levingston co-commissioned and premiered ''Repast'', an oratorio with music by Nolan Gasser and a libretto by Kevin Young based on the life of the civil rights era figure Booker Wright at Carnegie Hall.

In 2016, Levingston commissioned Nolan Gasser to compose a musical work, ''American Citizen'', based on the Marie Hull painting by the same which Levingston premiered at Carnegie Hall and subsequently recorded.

In 2017, Levingston commissioned and performed ''Sacred Spaces'' by composer Cecil Price Walden for the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.

Levingston's book ''Bright Fields: The Mastery Of Marie Hull'' highlights the struggle of African Americans to attain equality in artistic portrayals. Praising Hull for her daring to title her painting of former slave John Wesley Washington “American Citizen”, Levingston wrote:

“During the Great Depression, Hull began an important series of portraits of African-Americans, tenant farmers and sharecroppers. In these works, she treated each subject equally, regardless of race, revealing the human drama, inner struggle and indomitable spirit of each figure. In 1936, she painted a portrait of John Wesley Washington, a local worker born into slavery in 1847. In this heart-rending work, Hull not only gives the portrait the complete name of her subject (almost never bestowed upon African-Americans at that time), but the overall title ‘An American Citizen.'

This quiet, subtle and extraordinarily significant act of respect and social commentary by a Southern painter from this most ‘Southern’ of states remains, more than ever, a deeply resonant statement about who we are and can be, as a people. It is also a reminder of the powerful voice an artist may bring to his or her society, even in the most closed and difficult of times.”

In 2017, Levingston commissioned David T. Little to compose ''Accumulation of Purpose'' inspired by Freedom Riders in Mississippi. Little wrote of the work: “It is dedicated to the spirit of non-violent direct action so vital to the success of the Freedom Rides, and to the bravery of the Freedom Riders themselves, who in their courage, changed the course of history.” In 2018, Levingston premiered David T. Little’s ''Accumulation of Purpose'' at Carnegie Hall.
In 2018, Levingston recorded ''Summerland'' by Mississippi-born composer William Grant Still and performed it at Carnegie Hall. When Still originally composed Summerland in G-flat major, his publisher forbade him from printing it in that key, citing discriminatory beliefs that African-Americans should not compose in such complex keys. In a tribute to Still's enduring legacy, Levingston chose to honor the composer's intentions by performing and recording Summerland in its original key.

Cultural Ambassador

In 1991, Levingston served as a Young Leader for the American Council on Germany. In 1995, Levingston commissioned composer George Perle to compose ''Phantasyplay'' in honor of the 40th Anniversary of the American Council on Germany. In 1997, Levingston gave the world premiere of ''Phantasyplay'' at Lincoln Center. Levingston performed at the United Nations to honor the people of Denmark for their heroism during World War II. Levingston also gave performances to assist refuseniks relocating from the Soviet Union to the United States.

Personal life

Early life

Levingston was born in the Mississippi Delta town of Greenville, Mississippi. Levingston’s childhood in nearby Cleveland, Mississippi instilled in him a deep appreciation for art and music. His early important teachers included Amanda Vick Lethco and the Hungarian concert pianist and Dohnányi pupil Elizabeth Buday. While still in high school, Levingston studied music in Switzerland with Béla Böszöményi-Nagy. He graduated with honors from Darlington School, and received a Bachelor of Arts with honors in the Humanities Honors program at the University of Texas at Austin. He continued post-graduate studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music under Anton Kuerti and at the Aaron Copland School of Music under Morey Ritt and Carl Schachter. Levingston also studied at the Aspen Music Festival and School under Herbert Stessin, later performing there as a guest artist.

New York and the Chelsea Hotel

A longtime resident of New York City’s Chelsea Hotel, Levingston forged connections with many renowned artists there including Virgil Thomson, Arthur Miller, Arnold Weinstein, William Bolcom and Ethan Hawke.

Mississippi

Throughout his life, Levingston has facilitated dialogue and cultural exchange in Mississippi. He has brought many distinguished figures to his home state, such as William F. Buckley Jr., Ken Burns, Ron Chernow, George Plimpton, Katie Ford, David Rockefeller Jr. and Jane Smiley to share their life experiences and expertise. In 2006, Levingston was awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts and in 2017 he was inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame. In 2018, the Governor of Mississippi proclaimed April 9 Bruce Levingston Day.

His contributions as the Chancellor’s Honors College Artist in Residence and holder of the Lester Glenn Fant Chair at the University of Mississippi and his involvement in local arts initiatives have earned him recognition and numerous other accolades.

Recordings

Albums

*Still Sound
*Heart Shadow
*Heavy Sleep
*Portraits
*Night Break
*Citizen
*Dreaming Awake
*Windows
*Prelude to Dawn
*Without Words

Solo Tracks (Appears on)

* Imagine Christmas
* Glass : A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Levingston, Bruce
Living people
Musicians from Mississippi
People from Oxford, Mississippi
American male classical pianists
Darlington School alumni
21st-century American classical pianists
Year of birth missing (living people)
21st-century American male musicians