Pianist Philip Amalong is known for his intelligent, passionate interpretations and diverse and challenging repertoire. From his affinity for traditional piano repertoire to his warm embrace of much contemporary music, he navigates a broad range of styles with conviction and grace. Musicweb International, in a review of his solo recording Storia declared him “a virtuoso of the first order.”
His recent recording Touch: The Toccata Project, Volume I: American Composers released in December 2009 on Albany Records has succeeded in captivating listeners worldwide. Called “a devilishly clever idea!” “technically assured and joyous…” this first in a series of post-1900 toccata recordings has earned countless accolades in press both in the U.S. and Europe. The world premiere recording of piano toccatas by Lee Hoiby, George Antheil, Vincent Persichetti and others, Touch is an exploration of the variety and character twentieth century composers contributed to the genre.
Mr. Amalong is a founding member of Conundrum, a chamber ensemble that has been the featured at the Fresno New Music Festival, the Society of Composers Inc. Conference, and on series throughout the U.S. The group has commissioned and premiered many new works that highlight its unusual makeup—soprano, flute, clarinet and piano. Described by one presenter: “…rich, beautiful musical colors that were at once curious and sensuous to the ear. Their effortless performance of very challenging repertoire was matched only by their engaging and informative dialogue with the audience between pieces. An exceptional contribution to our chamber music series."
His collaborative career has included recital performances with violinist Xiang Gao, cellist Terry King, Mark Gould (Principal Trumpet, Metropolitan Opera), William Ver Meulen (Principal Horn, Houston), Richard Hawley (Principal Clarinet, Cincinnati), David Anderson (Principal Bass, Louisiana) and soprano Yana Eminova. He has also played and recorded with the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops, the Fort Wayne Symphony, and the Dayton Philharmonic. His recordings can be heard on the Eroica, Albany, and Titanic labels and include both solo discs and collaborative efforts with flutist Jeannine Dennis and violinist Gerald Itzkoff. Performances have taken him throughout the U.S. and Europe and include the Dame Myra Hess Series, the Cincinnati Symphony Chamber Players, and the Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Ibla Festival.
Another aspect of Mr. Amalong’s musical work is his composing, both of concert music and of commercial scores for television and film. For television, he has composed or collaborated on underscores and featured songs for daytime dramas including Guiding Light, All My Children, The Young and the Restless and many others. His music has been heard as background to the Academy Awards, the Golden Globe awards, hundred of commercials, television and film productions worldwide.
His musical training started at age five and he was first prizewinner of the Drexel Keyboard Award, twice winner of the Tri-County Concerts Association Competition and is a Distinguished Laureate of the IBLA Grand Prize International Piano Competition. As a child, Amalong developed his love for chamber music, performing with a piano trio coached by Metta Watts and Orlando Cole at The New School of Music and Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.
He attended the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music after winning a Van Cliburn Scholarship, studying with Frank Weinstock and later with the celebrated collaborative pianist, Sandra Rivers. He played in masterclasses of Gary Graffman, Cecile Ousset, and Samuel Sanders and his chamber music coaches included Peter Oundjian and Yehuda Hanani.
A dedicated educator, masterclass presenter, and chamber music coach, he has taught at Xavier University and served on the music faculty of the Department of Music at the College of Mount St. Joseph from 1998-2010 where he also chaired the department and led the initiative to the college becoming an All-Steinway School. He has published articles in Clavier Magazine, and is the recipient of numerous grants including the Aaron Copland Fund Recording Grant. He is a voting member of NARAS (The Recording Academy) and active in numerous musical organizations including MTNA, Chamber Music America, and BMI.
Philip Amalong is on the groundbreaking team at Zenph Sound Innovations in Durham, NC; bringing distinguished recorded performances of the past back to life with innovative software technology. His active performing and recording career continues with upcoming performances in the 2010-2011 season and recording projects throughout the year.
September 2010
