Allen Reiser has performed with various orchestras in England and Canada, and recital engagements have taken him to nearly every major center in Western Canada. He is a pianist of diverse musical interests, with a particular interest in Canadian piano music and the music of Franz Liszt.
Allen Reiser’s first released CD, “A Canadian Piano Album”, was nominated for a 2001 Prairie Music Award in the category of Outstanding Classical Recording. A second CD, “Sonatinas and Little Sonatas”, was released in June of 2009; “…. a wonderful collection of intermediate-level sonatas and sonatinas”. (Clavier Jan/Feb 2010)
Allen Reiser is active throughout Western Canada as a performer, adjudicator and master class clinician. He has presented workshops and recitals for local, provincial and national Registered Music Teachers’ Associations.
A National Gold Medalist of the Toronto Conservatory of Music, he has also been honoured by Calgary’s Mount Royal University with a Distinguished Faculty/Teaching Award. His two major teaching positions have been at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, and at Calgary’s Mount Royal College, now Mount Royal University. He has been guest piano instructor at summer schools in Cranbrook, Camrose, Sundre and Victoria.
Allen Reiser’s former instructors include Peter Katin (England) and Dr. Robin Wood (Canada). He currently operates a private piano studio in Calgary.
About the concert:
Chopin the Patriot, Chopin the Pianist
Two of the many aspects which inform Chopin’s pianistic output, are his profound Polish patriotism, and his mastery of composing pianistically idiomatic works. This program, which begins with his tragic C minor Polonaise, and includes a number of his Etudes, and Preludes, ending with one of his white-hot Scherzos, gives ample voice to both of these aspects of his unique musical makeup. ~A.R.