Album Notes

Native to Long Island, New York, Derek Wieland began his musical training with Jeffrey Marcus. He went on to study with Richard Fabre and György Sándor at the Juilliard School, receiving the Bachelor and Master of Music diplomas. In early childhood, Derek swept through the worldwide piano competition circuit, becoming the first pianist to win the Grand Prize in the Seventeen/General Motors National Concerto Competition. Derek also received Grand Prize in the International Johann Nepomuk Hummel Piano Competition in the Slovak Republic as well as top prizes in numerous other piano competitions. Derek has performed recitals in the U.S., Europe, South America, South Africa and Taiwan, and has given solo concerts in such esteemed venues as Holland's Concertgebouw and Beurs van Berlage. Other solo performances in New York include appearances at The Kosciuszko Foundation, The National Arts Society, The Synod of Bishops and the 92nd Street Y. Also shining as a concerto soloist, Derek has appeared with the Slovak Philharmonic under Bystrík Režucha, the Cleveland Orchestra under Michael Stern, the Long Island Philharmonic under Christopher Keene, and the String Orchestra of New York City (SONYC) in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, among others. Chamber music performances include a tour as featured soloist with Capitol Chamber Artists and concerts for the Barrier Island Group for the Arts in Sanibel. Derek has been heard on WQXR as part of Russian Nights with David Dubal, as well as other spots. A versatile musician, Derek performed a Billy Joel Tribute Concert as part of the International Concert Series at the Hofstra Cultural Center in New York. Derek's other crossover projects include an on-going collaboration with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Reviews of Derek's performances:
"Wieland is unquestionably a formidable talent with an enormous technique. He showed sensitivity to nuance and expressive detail. The audience was enchanted." The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH
"A complete pianist, endowed with extraordinary artistic talent, Derek aroused much enthusiasm from the audience, through the character and assuredness of his performance of the Beethoven fifth concerto." Voce Misena, Senigallia, ITALY
"Derek showed why he won the Hummel award. He was simply breathtaking in his dash and vigor... his tone in the slow movement was old-world wonderful." TIMES UNION Albany, NY
In 1991, Derek co-founded Uptime Studios, a prestigious recording facility located in Manhattan's Music Building near Madison Square Garden and Penn Station, visit: www.uptimestudios.com Derek has also recorded a Disklavier piano version of this CD for Yamaha, available at www.yamahamusicsoft.com
Visit www.derekwieland.com for photos, audio and updates on Derek's latest work.