Called “an altogether extraordinary pianist” by Michael Redmond in the Newark Star Ledger, “the Downtown Keyboard Magus” in the New Yorker, and “a witty, genial and adventurous pianist and composer” in the New York Times, Jed Distler has premiered works by Frederic Rzewski, Lois V Vierk, Richard Rodney Bennett, Alvin Curran, Virgil Thomson, among many others.
Jed has given new music programs and teaching residencies across the United States and Europe from Italian festivals in Ravello, Sorrento and Erculano to New York’s Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. In 2012 Jed launched a solo piano project encompassing jazz icon Thelonious Monk’s complete songs in a single concert. Among his many compositions, a 2013 work for 175 keyboardists won a Guinness Book of Records award. He contributes regularly to Gramophone and Classicstoday.com, and got attention back in 2007 for helping discover and expose the Joyce Hatto scandal. A longtime contributor to Classicstoday.com and Gramophone, Jed has written numerous booklet annotations for major label CD reissue projects respectively devoted to Van Cliburn, Martha Argerich, Maurizio Pollini, Vladimir Horowitz, Claudio Arrau, Leon Fleisher, and others. Jed also hosts on occasion for New York Public Radio and is a recipient of ASCAP’s coveted Deems Taylor Award. Formerly associated with Yamaha (who generously provided the instrument and facilities for recordings Meditate with the Masters), Jed is now a Steinway Artist.
For the full details of Jed’s rich musical life, visit www.jeddistler.com