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Dear Gabriele,
"In 1988 Loretta and I traveled to Moscow to judge duo pianists for the first U.S. two-piano competition held at the UM School of Music. Although Murray and Loretta Dranoff were successful national performers, the notion of two-piano literature and performance was underplayed across the States. This mission took us to many musical ports of call, Paris and Berlin, always searching for the magic of two pianists in debate, discussion, argumentation, and harmony. My ears were jeweled working with Loretta playing Rachmaninoff, Mozart and Bartok."
This is what Ruth Greenfield remembered in her tribute to Loretta Dranoff in 2011 about their early collaborations in the Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation. Their connection in life and in vision survived through Ruth’s involvement with the Dranoff2 and its mission to present the best of two piano music, commission new works, and support the careers of piano duos of the highest caliber. It lasted close to 4 decades.
Ruth Greenfield was one of the rare souls who made you want to become a better human being, to be more generous, to be proud to share your gifts with others. Her life was a testament to what we can accomplish when we keep an open heart and link our arms in a common goal.
Music was the engine to her power, a power that broke barriers and unified community. In that she met Loretta Dranoff. With that, she and Loretta founded an entity that aimed to democratize music, and they brought music access to the youth and the public of our city. They did this decades ago, before a time when equity and quality were buzzwords. They did it because they believed in the power of music.
Warmly,
Gabriele Fiorentino
President
The Dranoff2 Piano
Piano Slam
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