Taught Master Classes in Piano Technique (based upon Ph.D. dissertation wherein compositional innovations forced changes in the piano technique needed to perform these compositions thus changing a player’s approach to pianism) The Shanghai Institute, People’s Republic of China, San Rafael, CA, and other venues. Conducted many large-scale choral works.
As a child sang at the Metropolitan Opera, e.g. Carmen and La Traviata; as an adult performed the role of Le Roi in Massenet’s Cindrillon for radio station WNYC’s broadcasts of live operatic performances from the Brooklyn Museum. Many appearances in the Bay area as pianist, conductor, and singer have produced extremely favorable reviews.
Research cited by several scholars, e.g. Maurice Hinson (Music for More than One Piano, p. 48). In 2008, certified nationally by the Music Teachers National Association as a Teacher of Voice—one of six in California—and as a Teacher of Piano, the only one in Marin County and one of three north of San Francisco. On the Juilliard’s Private Teacher Directory as one of two Teachers of Piano and two of Voice in California.
Listed by Steinway as a teacher of Piano. 9/28/08, debuted as both pianist and accompanist, the Herbst Theatre, San Francisco. Tour, March 2010, included a performance in the Concerts Grand series, San Rafael, CA (3/21); Flushing Town Hall, Queens, NY (3/23); Salle Cortot, Paris, France (3/28); with a return engagement in NYC 4/6. Coached several students to great success: Zachary Franczak (San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Best Actor Award, 2009); William Zhao (Marin Music Chest Scholarship, 2010), et al.
Education
1971-1979 New York University: Doctor of Philosophy (Performance) New York, NY
1964-1970 Queens College: Master of Science (Musicology/Music Education)Flushing, NY
1960-1964 The Juilliard School of Music: Artist’s Diploma (Piano) New York, NY
1956-1960 Cornell University: Bachelor of Arts (Music) Ithaca, NY
1951-1956 Staunton Military Academy: Diploma (College Preparatory) Staunton, VA
Work Experience
1992-1999 Choral Director, Flushing High School Flushing, NY
1991-1992 Teacher of Music, New York City Board of Education: Carson JHS New York, NY
1978-1991 Supervisor and/or Teacher of Music: Greeley JHS; Canarsie HS (NYC) New York, NY J Jackson High School (NJ); Copiague Public Schools (NY); Lexington Public Schools (MA)
1977-1978 Assistant Professor of Music, Hofstra University Hempstead, NY
1962-1977 Teacher of Music, New York City Board of Education: Mann, Sands, Greeley JHS New York, NY
Related Experience
11/04-6/05 Choral Director and Music Theater Director, Marin School of the Arts Novato, CA 2004 Founder/Conductor, St. Mark’s Chamber Orchestra Islip, NY 2003-2004 Organist/Choirmaster, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Islip, NY 2002 St. Paul’s College Singers becomes The Kenn Gartner Singers
New York, NY 2001 Founder and Music Director, St. Paul’s College Singers Professional Chorus
New York, NY 2001 Consultant in Music Education, Ballet Tech and Stuyvesant High Schools
New York, NY 7/99-12/9 Music Department Chairman and Associate Professor, Five Town College
Dix Hills, NY 1999 Teacher/Accompanist, All-City Chorus
New York, NY 1998-2004 Major Groups Choral Adjudicator, New York State School Music Association
New York, NY 1995-1999 Conductor, Downtown Glee Club (succeeding Dr. George Mead)
New York, NY 1996-1999 Conductor, The Voices of Samaritan
Queens, NY 1994 Accompanist, The New York State Summer School of the Arts Saratoga, NY 1992-1994 Founder and Conductor, The Park Slope Choral Society Brooklyn, NY 1991-1992 Guest Conductor, Long Island Singers Society
Long Island, NY 1981-1982 Adjunct Associate Professor of Music, Suffolk Community College Selden, NY 1979-1980 Adjunct Professor of Music, LaGuardia Community College Queens, NY 1976 Teacher, Cambiata Voices, Cathedral School of St. John the Divine
New York, NY 1972-1979 Director, Queens County All Borough Chorus New York, NY
Performance
1/2 2014 Invitation to return to China in 2015
11/2013 Concert Tour of China with Master Classes and Recitals
4/2013 Visiting Artist in Musical Theater, University of Wyoming
2/2009 Lecture/Recital, California Association of Professional Music Teachers, San Mateo, CA
9/2008 West Coast Debut Recital, The Herbst Theatre, San Francisco, CA
2006 Soloist: von Weber, Concertstuck for Piano & Orchestra, Victorian Englander House, San Francisco
2006 Conducted Elizabeth Gaston, flautist: Chaminade, Concertino for Flute & Orchestra, SF Concerto Orchestra
2006 Conducted Joe Gold, violinist, in his orchestration of Tartini’s Devil’s Trill Sonata, SF Concerto Orchestra
2006- Annual Steinway showcases sponsored by Sherman Clay, San Francisco and Walnut Creek
04/04 Soloist: Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, PY Orchestra, Southampton, NY
03/03 Conductor: Beethoven’s Choral Fantasie, OP.80, KG Singers & PY Orchestra, Southampton, NY
06/02 Soloist: von Weber: Concertstuck in F-Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Southampton, NY
03/02 Music Director: rare complete Dublin Messiah, St. Paul’s College Singers, College Point, Queens, NY
10/00, 01 Conductor & Music Director: Sweeney Todd, Youth Experiencing Art Project, Suffolk, NY
7,8/00 Chief Accompanist: XIV Festivals der Zukunft, Ernen, Switzerland under Mme. Antonia Lavanne
05/99 Conductor: Haydn, The Creation, complete, student soloists, Flushing High School Choruses
05/98 Conductor: Gershwin, Porgy and Bess, concert version of opera, Flushing High School Choruses
11/97 Conductor: Haydn, The Creation, St. Charles Hospital Dedication, Flushing High School Choruses
05/97 Conductor: Mozart, Requiem, Concerto in A, K.488, Flushing High School Choruses
12/96 Kenny Rogers: The Gift, Westbury (LI) Music Fair, backed up by Flushing High School Choruses
05/95 Conductor: Brahms, A German Requiem, Flushing High School Choruses and Orchestra
12/95 Conductor: Handel, Messiah; Beethoven, Choral Fantasie, Flushing High School Choruses
1992 Conductor: Haydn, The Creation, LISS Chorus, Orchestra, and Soloists
1985 Master Class in Piano Technique: The Shanghai Institute, The Peoples Republic of China
1981 Lincoln Center Esplanade: COLOURSOUND – 6 hour electronic real-time performance
1969- Piano Recitals: Town Hall, Merkin Hall, Kosciusko Foundation, Europe, Asia, Venezuela, Halifax, etc.
Honors
2012 Nominated to be a Steinway Artist
2008 Elected President Board of Directors: Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute (BASOTI)
2008 Music Teachers National Association: Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in Piano and in Voice
2005 Command Performance: Lanaea Festival, Sacramento State University, Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury
2000 Honorary Inductee: Arista & National Honor Societies, Flushing High School
1998, 1999 Who’s Who Among American Teachers
1995 Conducting Fellowship, Columbia University
1994, 2000 Who’s Who in American Education
1993-1999 National Choral Society: annual $15,000 Grant for Choral Program
1988 First NYC HS Vocal Chamber ensemble (Canarsie HS A Cappellas) to perform at Lincoln Center
1987- President Emeritus: The Conductor’s Club
1986-7,1995-6 Only NYC Level VI SATB Chorus awarded NYSSMA’s highest rating: 6A+ (Gold with Distinction)
1985 Award from Faculty, Administration, Students: Creativity and Leadership in Education, Canarsie HS
1983 Citation: The National Conference of Christians and Jews for Outstanding Human Relation
1982-8,1993-9 Only performing Male Glee Club program in a NY State High School, NYSSMA rated 5A+
1974 Who’s Who in International Music
Compositions and Recordings
1984 The Concerto for Piano and Synthesizer (Memnon Recordings)
1983 The Monster Concert with Eugene List (Musical Heritage Society)
1981 Richard Brooks: Sonata for Violin and Piano–-with Carol Glenn (ASUC Recordings)
1966, 72 The Right to Be Different, Cantata for Young School Children (EKG Recordings)