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Toy Piano Performers, International
Check out Toy Piano Performers on Facebook, a network of toy piano composers, performers, and fans.
Although parents and grandparents comprise a significant customer base, orders from professional musicians increase each year. Since John Cage wrote "Suite for Toy Piano" in 1948, more and more composers are turning out substantial pieces for an increasing number of performers.
We are delighted to be "in tune" with those who regard Schoenhut toy pianos as serious concert instruments, attesting to the high quality of our products. This roster is a sample of professionals who promote music to an advanced dimension.
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Paula Bobb, United States
www.TickleTheIvoriesMusic.com
Paula received a BA from the University of Pittsburgh and MM from the New England Conservatory of Music. She is active as a soloist, accompanist, chamber musician, and has been a member of the faculty at Hochstein Music School since 1986. A piano teacher for many years, she offers a number of innovative and creative approaches for all ages including playshops for children and adults, individual and partner lessons, and a Piano Kindergarten for Grown-Ups™.
"Toy pianos do not supplant my love for the piano. They are a welcome balance and a reminder of the joy of playing, in all its meanings. In using them for teaching beginning groups of children or adults I wish to give others the opportunity to connect with their playful inner child with simplicity and delight..."
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John Cage, United States
Wikipedia - John Cage
Bard College Press Releases
September 5, 1912 - August 12, 1992
The first "key" player who composed music geared toward toy pianos. John Cage was an American composer, philosopher, poet, music theorist, artist, printmaker, and amateur mycologist. A pioneer of chance music, electronic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, he was a leading figure of the post-war avant-garde, initiating a new trend in music. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century.
The John Cage Trust (JCT), an organization created to oversee the use of the published and unpublished work of one of the 20th-century's most important composers, writers, and artists, has become a permanent resident organization at Bard College
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Wendy Mae Chambers, United States
www.wendymae.com
www.64ToyPianos.com
Wendy Mae Chambers, one of the earliest toy piano performers, is well known for the scope and originality of her works, typified by large and unusual instrumental combinations. As a toy pianist, she has made numerous appearances on national TV, radio, and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
In April of 2009, Wendy created “Kun” in collaboration with Schoenhut Piano Company, 64 Toy Pianos at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami, Florida. Kun musically represents the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, the ancient Chinese book of divination that was also used by avant-garde composer John Cage. The performance featured 64 musicians performing on 32 white and 32 black Schoenhut toy pianos placed in pairs throughout the gardens, representing the yin/yang formation.
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Phyllis Chen, United States
www.phyllischen.net
Many people have asked me how I came to play the toy piano. Contrary to what it might seem, I started playing classical piano at the age of five and found the toy piano when I was 21. I was always interested in exploring new sounds and unconventional piano techniques, but my journey with the toy piano was plunged forth by an unexpected happening in my life. Read more here...
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Stephanie Chua, Canada
www.stephaniechua.com/toy-piano
Stephanie's interest in unusual music and sounds led her to the toy piano. At the moment, her arsenal of toy pianos are a 37-key grand piano, a vintage 1940 spinet, an antique 1900 two-octave Schoenhut, and a vintage Kussan Katheral Chimes piano.
Always looking for new repertoire and new ways to entice the public with this charming instrument, Stephanie is grateful to the sponsorship of Schoenhut Toy Piano Company and their generous donations of instruments to her various projects.
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George Crumb, Ph.D, United States
www.georgecrumb.net
An American composer of modern and avant-garde music, George Crumb is noted as an explorer of unusual timbres and extended technique. He uses instruments such as toy pianos, musical saws, amplified instruments and even a "glass harmonica" in a serious piece of music, making music with them that so reflects nature, that during a performance, one might think they are hearing what it would sound like to pour an ocean or build a blade of grass from scratch.
He is the recipient of a number of awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1968 for his orchestral work Echoes of Time and the River and a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Composition in 2001 for his work Star-Child.
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Tzenka Dianova, Ph.D, Canada
www.tzenkadianova.com
Since making her debut as a musician at age five, Tzenka has become a world renowned, award-winning concert pianist specializing in the performance of 20th century and contemporary music. A teacher, performer, and author ("John Cage's Prepared Piano: The Nuts and Bolts"), she has recorded pieces for piano and orchestra, as well as a solo CD. Improvising, transcribing, and experimenting with "prepared piano," Tzenka collaborates with illustrious composers such as Karlheinz Essl.
"My toy pianos are amongst my most prized possessions — first came the Schoenhut baby-grand, then a vintage Jaymar, last a delightful doll-sized (yet full three-octave chromatic) Japanese mini-grand. I love them all!"
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Shiau-uen Ding, United States
www.shiauuending.com
www.myspace.com/shiauuending
A native of Taiwan, pianist Shiau-uen Ding is a rising presence on the new and electro-acoustic music scenes, and an original and energetic performer of traditional solo and chamber repertoire. She has performed in France, Germany, China, and throughout the US and Taiwan. Her virtuosic and sensitive interpretations win standing ovations.
"The attached photo was taken during my performance of German composer Moritz Eggert's One Man Band 2, in October, 2009, at Sizihwan Art Festival in Taiwan. And the toy piano is, as you pointed out, Schoenhut's My First Piano!"
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Karlheinz Essl, Ph.D, Austria
www.essl.at
www.reverbnation.com/karlheinzessl
Composer, performer, improviser, media artist, author, and composition teacher, Dr. Essl is professor of composition for electro-acoustic and experimental music at the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts.
Karlheinz composed his first toy piano piece in 2005 called Kalimba. The extensive list of compositions he has written for the toy piano appears on his website, along with videos of venues where these pieces have been played.
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Isabel Ettenauer, Austria
www.isabelettenauer.com
What started as a project in 2001 soon turned into a main focus in the work of this young pianist: performing on toy pianos. Since then, Isabel Ettenauer has become recognized as one of the leading lights amongst professional artists in today's new music scene.
The joy and love she expresses while playing exceptionally innovative compositions hold her international audiences spellbound.
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Tom Flaherty, United States
www.tomflahertymusic.com
www.myspace.com/tomflahertymusic
A composer, professor of music, and avid cellist, Tom's compositions have been performed extensively throughout Europe and North America by noted professional artists and ensembles. His music is recorded on the Albany. Klavier, Bridge, SEAMUS, Capstone, and Advance labels. He has received grants, prizes, awards, and residencies from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, American Music Center, the Pasadena Arts Council, the Massachusetts Council for the Arts and Humanities, the Delius Society, the University of Southern California, "Meet the Composer," and Yaddo.
"I've always loved the sound of Schoenhut pianos and only recently began to compose for it. The tasty ambiguity of octave placement in single notes was the inspiration for 'Shepard's Pi'." YouTube -Tom Flaherty Shepard's Pi for toy piano and electronics.
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Erik Griswold, Ph. D, Australia
www.erikgriswold.org
Eclectic Australian-American musician Erik Griswold fuses experimental, jazz, and world music traditions to create works of striking originality. Specializing in prepared piano, percussion and toy instruments, he collaborates with musicians from diverse backgrounds as well as visual artists and writers.
Erik leads international tours of The Wide Alley (a 10-piece ensemble of Chinese and Australian musicians) and Clocked Out Duo, of which he is Director. His composition "Old MacDonald's Yellow Submarine" was played recently at Carnegie Hall by noted toy pianist Margaret Leng Tan.
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David Harrington, United States
www.kronosquartet.org
www.carnegiehall.org
David is entering his fourth decade as a professional musician. Founder, artistic director and first violinist of the award-winning Kronos Quartet, his group has changed the perception of what a string quartet can be. In a recent concert at Carnegie Hall “Playing with Toys & Technology” Kronos revisited the joy in discovering new sounds through a program that focused on unlikely sources such as toy piano, wood block, bicycle bell and horn, and train whistle.
An exciting initiative that the group initiated is the "Kronos: Under 30 Project," a unique composer-in-residence program for composers under 30 years old, launched in conjunction with Kronos' own 30th birthday in 2003. By cultivating creative relationships with such emerging talents and a wealth of other artists from around the world, Kronos provides the benefit of 30 years' wisdom while maintaining a fresh approach to music-making inspired by a new generation of composers and performers.
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Jennifer Hymer, Germany
www.jenniferhymer.de
Interested in unusual and unique sonic possibilities for the piano, pianist Jennifer Hymer specializes in a repertoire for piano and multimedia and extended techniques, as well as being a performer of the toy piano and kalimba. She began playing the Schoenhut 37-key grand in her 'Piano, Toy Piano, Kalimba & Gadgets' project in 2006, which premiered in the Laeiszhalle, Hamburg. Her solo CD 'Ceci n'est pas un piano' includes toy piano pieces written for her and the Schoenhut grand by composers Manfred Stahnke and Georg Hajdu.
She and composer Georg Hajdu are co-founders of WireWorks, an electro-acoustic ensemble for acoustic instruments, voice and electronics.
"The photo was taken as I played a Schoenhut 37-key concert grand in Santa Barbara as balloons from Annea Lockwood's piece 'Gone' floated over the piano."
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Jeff Klingfuss, United States
klingfuss@juno.com
Jeff Klingfuss is an organist for two churches in Mississippi. His use of toy piano music during infant baptisms has been wildly popular, resulting in requests to perform at many special events. A representative liturgy for baptism that he uses includes an Erik Satie piece as a prelude, another Satie during the offertory, and for the postlude a rhythmic march gleaned from the Library of Congress circa 1880 that relates to the historic past of the church.
In 2006, after completing training for LPM (a "Leadership Program for Parish Musicians of Small Parishes"), Jeff was granted the Presiding Bishop’s Certificate in Church Music & Liturgy On-going projects include: developing a ‘collection’ of music for toy piano appropriate for liturgical use from the vast repertoire of related music from the 15th to the 20th century; and experimenting with the toy piano as a type of zimbelstern, using a Schoenhut to single out a solo line while playing the rest on the organ. He is also involved with a program for a diocese in England to implement musician training in the UK. Jeff continues to refine toy piano use in liturgical settings, the repertoire based on historical and copyright free music sources. As a result of his work with churches and the community, he was presented with a Volunteer Service Award by President Obama in 2009.
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Elaine Lau, Canada
www.elainelau.ca
www.junctqin.com
A college professor, music coach, keyboardist, soloist, and collaborative artist, Elaine has an avid interest in contemporary repertoire music for toy, solo and duo piano, She is active in premiering new works for these mediums. Her diversified background includes: coach and repetiteur for the Opera Theatre of Lucca, Italy; collaborative performing pianist for the Glenn Gould School and the Young Artist Performance Academy at the Royal Conservatory of Music; and she is the founding member of junctQín, a keyboard collective of three devoted to performing new music.
"This picture was taken during my performance of Moritz Eggert's One Man Band 2 at the Canadian Opera Company's Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre in Toronto, Canada. The trusty 25-key toy spinet in this photo has starred in multiple performances of the piece, and was originally one of several instruments generously co-sponsored by Schoenhut for an improvisation/concert outreach workshop held at the spOtlight Festival in 2009. I am delighted to have it as a part of my collection of Schoenhut toy pianos, which originally started with a 30-key baby grand purchased several years ago. The sounds of these wonderful instruments continue to intrigue and captivate listeners wherever they are heard."
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Adam Marks, United States
www.adammarks.com
www.fifth-house.com
Praised by the New York Times as an "excellent pianist with titanic force," Adam combines a commitment to contemporary music with innovative programming designed to reach new audiences of all types. He performs extensively throughout the United States, as well as Europe. His accolades include being the first American laureate of the Orleans Competition for music composed since 1900 in Orleans, France. As an educator, he has presented guest lectures and masterclasses at a number of prestigious colleges and universities.
The pianist and Director of Artistic Programming for Chicago’s Fifth House Ensemble, he designs and presents programs for concert stages, cultural institutions, and educational facilities. Adam frequently collaborates with notable musicians such as mezzo-soprano Jennifer Beattie, graphic novelist Ezra Claytan Daniels, among many others.
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Pascal Meyer, The Netherlands
www.pascalmeyer.com
www.pestovameyer.com
An internationally acclaimed piano solist, Pascal also plays a duo with dutch violinist Anne-Marie Volten, is part of the czech/luxemburg ALEA Piano Trio, performs with Xenia Pestova in the Pestova/Meyer Piano Duo, and is a member of the Luxemburg-based modern music ensemble United Instruments of Lucilin. He has twice been a Gold Medal prizewinner in the Luxemburgish National Competition For Young Soloists. Pascal plays pieces such as Karlheinz Essl's legendary "Kalimba" on a Schoenhut baby grand.
"It's probably a cliché to say that the first piece I played on toy piano was John Cage's Suite for toy piano...Unfortunately I didn't have a Schoenhut back then. A few years later I played George Crumb's River of Life in the percussion quartet I played with, ordered a baby grand from Schoenhut so I could have a decent instrument with the required range. That's when I realized you could actually make music on these little things! The audience loved it....."
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Xenia Pestova, Ph. D, Canada
www.xeniapestova.com
"I first fell in love with the Schoenhut toy pianos when I heard a recording of Karlheinz Essl's 'Kalimba' played by my colleague Isabel Ettenauer. I immediately ordered my first toy piano: a white Schoenhut model 379 baby grand with an opening lid, exactly the one required to play the piece (the performer is required to hide small loudspeakers inside the instrument!).
Since then, I have premiered many new works for toy piano and played multiple Schoenhut instruments in very diverse locations that include concert halls from Brazil to Canada, alternative loft spaces coast to coast in the US, and even a remote cave site in Ontario. Every time I sit down to play one of my toy pianos, I feel immense relaxation and joy flowing through me - the instrument itself inspires us to smile and invites us to take ourselves less seriously. I am very excited to be part of the Schoenhut artist roster, and am happy to continue sharing the instruments' distinct sound with my audiences."
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Eliza Rickman, United States
www.elizarickman.com
http://www.myspace.com/elizarickman
ELIZA RICKMAN is a singer, songwriter, and pianist who lives and performs in California. She discovered the piano at age eight, pounding away at a 120-year-old piano inherited from her grandfather. Eliza went on to study classical piano, specializing in Ragtime, at Azusa Pacific University. Eliza eventually changed her major to arranging and, at the urging of a teacher, began singing. Over the next few years, Eliza developed her unique, haunting vocal style by listening to her voice on a four track recorder.
Shortly before graduating, Eliza began composing her own material, utilizing her talent for arranging string quartets and piano. When she began performing at Los Angeles venues, she purchased a toy piano out of necessity. The compact, antique, two-octave Schoenhut piano quickly became her trademark accompaniment. Its piercingly nostalgic sound created a lyrical dissonance with her deceptively powerful voice. While she still performs with a small chamber of musicians at venues like El Cid and Hotel Cafe, the toy piano is the central instrument on her new EP, Gild the Lily.
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Alan Shockley, Ph. D, United States
music.princeton.edu/~alan
Composer, pianist, author, toy piano and melodica player, Alan is Assistant Professor and Area Director of Composition/Theory in the Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach, where he also directs the New Music Ensemble. Recent projects include two piano works commissioned by Benjamin Binder in response to Schumann's Carnaval, a virtuosic violin solo for the Montecito Summer Music Festival (stn [adversary]), and Sechseläuten, for the Rhode Island College Wind Ensemble.
Alan organized Beyond the 88, a Festival of New Music for Alternative Keyboard Instruments at Princeton University that included works for harpsichord, prepared piano, hurdy-gurdy, melodica, accordion, toy pianos, and other keyboard instruments; also wrote _little white house (underpass to the foundation), 1 p.m._ for nine electrofitted ("player") toy pianos for Trimpin's Seattle installation Klavier nonette, later released on CD by Jack Straw Studios, and followed by a single toy piano version.
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Michelle Schumann, Ph.D, United States
www.MichelleSchumann.com
Attention to Sound (Austin Chronicle)
A native Canadian, Michele Schumann is a highly sought after solo pianist and collaborative artist both in her hometown of Austin, TX and throughout the US, Canada and Europe. The first toy piano Michelle used is a Schoenhut mahogany grand that matches her 1917 mahogany Steinway grand: "It is kind of the 'Mini-Me.'"
The wild response to her (John) Cage debut in Calgary prompted her to make it an annual event (Happy Birthday, Mr. Cage!), celebrating the composer's birthday in the same way that chamber groups celebrate Mozart's birthday in January: with a concert and cake.
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David Smooke, Ph.D, United States
www.davidsmooke.com
David teaches music theory and composition at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. A member of the trio plinkTHUNKSqwak, he performs improvisations and original works on various instruments including toy piano. He is currently building larger pieces utilizing electronic processing of toy piano, microtonally-tuned autoharp and other instruments.
"Picture is from an improv gig that I put together featuring Rome Prize and Berlin Prize winning composer and throat singer Ken Ueno."
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