Dear Friend -
I hope you have had time this holiday weekend to get some rest, some time to reflect, and to connect with those who are important in your life.
Rather than feature a particular duo, this Monday I wanted to honor the woman who started it all.
Loretta Dranoff was an original, a rara avis whose dedication to her beloved 2 piano work filled and informed her life. She decided that the best way to help sustain this art form was to offer a stage for young duos to shine. She created the Dranoff 2 Piano Competition, from which dozens of duos emerged. She also realized that to anchor the growth of her beloved art form in the contemporary repertoire, she would need to encourage an expansion of the literature. So she began to engage some of the top composers of the times to write new works for 2 pianos.
Over the years, the Dranoff commissioned composers cover a wide gamut of styles. For this Independence day, we have chosen four Americans: Gould. Corigliano. Rorem. Frank. You can find the complete list of composers commissioned by the Dranoff on
the website
Please enjoy!
Warmly,
Gabriele Fiorentino
President,
The Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation
Piano Slam
