On May 24, 2024, at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Burlington, Vermont, Elaine Greenfield and Janice Meyer Thompson gifted their audience with a spectacular piano recital. Sit back and enjoy the music!
About Elaine Greenfield
Elaine Greenfield is a widely acclaimed pianist, recognized internationally for her performances, recordings, and teaching, with a distinguished career as soloist/lecture recitalist, and collaborative artist. Nationally, Ms. Greenfield has received rave reviews for performances at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Steinway Hall, Washington DC’s Phillips Collection, Boston’s Gardner Museum, and numerous college campuses coast to coast. She has been televised and broadcast over national and international radio, including the BBC (6.7 mp3 file), NPR, WGBH, WNYC, WAMC, WVPR, and KBAQ. 1996 marked her first of several performances at the Historical Piano Study Center of the E. Michael Frederick Collection, Ashburnham, MA, where she subsequently engaged in two extensive recording projects, for Centaur Records. Elaine’s most recent recording project “Ravel Compared,” is now commercially available.
Recordings include her first Frederick Collection collaboration, “Debussy Preludes, Bk.s 1 & 2,” recording of the 24 Debussy Preludes on a 1907 Blüthner of Leipzig virtually identical to Debussy’s piano of choice when he composed the works. (2004 release) The second Frederick Collection recording, “French Four Hands with the Elegant Erard,” features the Transcontinental Piano Duo (Elaine Greenfield and Janice Meyer Thompson) performing French duet masterpieces on the collection’s 1877 Erard concert grand. (2010 release) Earlier recordings include the first book of Debussy Preludes (1984); a CD with the Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble; “Music of Her Own,” songs and piano music by women with soprano Jill Hallett Levis; “The Transcontinental Piano Duo,” and “Concert Favorites,” 2 CDs of music for piano 4-hands, performed by the Duo. Elaine’s most recent recording project, “Ravel Compared,” is a double-disc set featuring selected solo works of Maurice Ravel. Disc one features the works performed on an 1893 French Erard Grand, comparable to Ravel’s personal piano. For comparison, disc two features the same works performed on a 1937 Ivers and Pond concert grand.
Elaine Greenfield is available for concerts featuring the works heard on “Ravel Compared,” with CDs available for purchase. Additionally, a masterclass is possible. For information and/or to schedule a performance date, contact Elaine.
The Transcontinental Piano Duo has toured nationally to universities, colleges, and community series, presenting performances, master classes, teacher workshops, and adjudication. Elaine and Jan have performed in 16 of the 50 States! The Duo is not currently active; however, please contact Elaine for questions or more information.
Ms. Greenfield has been included in the Vermont Arts Council’s Artist Register since 1972, and in 1992 was awarded a VAC Fellowship Grant by Governor Howard Dean. In 1987 she received the Centennial Award of Merit from S.U.N.Y. Potsdam, Crane School of Music, for “exceptional contributions to musical America.” Elaine was a founding performer of the VT Contemporary Music Ensemble, and toured for 20 years with Philadelphia flutist, Pamela Guidetti, protege of French master Marcel Moyse. Additionally, in her local area, performances have included I Musici de Montreal, VT Symphony Orchestra, VT Mozart Festival, VT Philharmonic, and decades of solo and collaborative recitals with various regional and national artists.
As an educator Elaine Greenfield is a passionate and dedicated teacher, maintaining an independent studio in South Burlington, Vermont. Since 1973 Greenfield has been a member of the artist-faculty of the Adamant Music School, a unique, internationally recognized summer program for pianists, where she also served as director from 1979-1982. She is a Master Teacher in the Music Teachers National Association, a resource person for workshops, master classes, and lecture recitals, and an active adjudicator. In her local area Greenfield has served as Artistic Director of concert events for St. Paul’s Cathedral Arts for forty-five years and is founder-director of Greenfield Piano Associates, an educational organization dedicated to the art of piano playing. During her extensive teaching career, Elaine has taught students of all ages and levels, with several young artists from her studio winning contests at state, regional and national levels. Many have since gone on to musical careers throughout the US. Presently, Elaine particularly enjoys working with teachers and mature artist students, both in her home studio and at the Adamant Music School.
Ms. Greenfield holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in piano performance and teaching, and her early training included such notable instructors as James Ball, Irene Rosenberg Grau, Walter Hautzig, John Perry, Lorin Hollander, Julio Esteban, and Dorothy Taubman. Elaine considers Edwine Behre, founder of the Adamant Music School, as her mentor and greatest influence.
Although her repertoire is extensive and varied Elaine Greenfield has loved French Music since early student days at the Crane School of Music, the Peabody Conservatory, and in New York with mentor and Adamant founder Edwine Behre. About her New York Carnegie Recital Hall debut, which included the second book of Debussy Preludes, New York Times critic Peter G. Davis wrote: “Ms. Greenfield possesses a formidable technique which she uses for expressive purposes rather than flashy surface effect…The Preludes were particularly well conceived, etched in a clearly drawn, rhythmically strong profile that made a welcome contrast to the mushy impressionistic haze that many pianists consider appropriate for this composer.”
For more information, visit elainegreenfield.com.
