Album Notes

The American Record Guide called this CD "An outstanding release." And the Classical Music Guide wrote "Mr. Isler brings out all of Schubert's glorious melodies................a ravishing performance of this late Schumann suite of pieces (the Waldscenen)." This disk presents Donald Isler's first recording of piano works of Schumann and Brahms, and his second recording of a major Schubert Sonata. A graduate of New York City's High School of Music and Art and the Manhattan School of Music, where he received the Bachelor and Master of Music degrees, Isler's teachers included the distinguished pianists and pedagogues Sina Berlinski, Bruce Hungerford, Robert Goldsand, Constance Keene, Lilian Kallir, Zenon Fishbein, and Eleanor Hancock. His many New York recitals include two programs at Carnegie Recital Hall, where he made his debut in 1980, an all-Beethoven recital in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in memory of Bruce Hungerford, and an Artur Schnabel Tribute program at Symphony Space. Donald Isler has also given recitals on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert series in Chicago, at Dartmouth College and Hampshire College, as well as concerts in England, which included a benefit for the British Musicians' Benevolent Fund. In addition to his performing career he has been very active as a teacher, serving on the faculties of many schools, including the Brooklyn College Preparatory Center, the Diller-Quaile Music School, and the Bennett Conservatory of Music. He has also served on the jury for the Juilliard School's Pre-College Concerto Competition, and on the Bruce Hungerford Memorial Award jury at the Young Concert Artists competition.