By Mary Malloy
The concerto, played by the Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra, was fashioned after Joel 's 2001 classical album, "Fantasies & Delusions." It came about after Biegel approached the singer/songwriter to possibly compose a serious piano concerto for him. "Instead," said Biegel, "his assistant called me and said he [Joel] had no time, but would I consider taking several of his solo piano pieces and rework them into a virtuosic piano concerto." Using the already-published 'Fantasies and Delusions', Biegel worked out a concerto of four movements in different styles. Joel would have to approve the venue and orchestrator of the score, who was Phillip Keveren. The piece was conducted by Stuart Malina, who shared a 2003 Tony Award with Joel for the hit Broadway musical "Movin' Out." Malina is the former music director of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra.
"So much anticipation and anxiety goes into a world premiere," said Biegel after the concert. "You're backstage, and even though you have rehearsed it, you hope they enjoy and applaud and approve. At this concert, they applauded between each movement, which is unusual." Biegel performed with The Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra.
Biegel resides in Lynbrook with his wife Sharon and their two sons Craig, 14, and Evan, 10. He lived with his family in Valley Stream for 12 years, but grew up in Plainview. "Billy Joel and I had the same piano teacher in Hicksville, "said Biegel. "Although we were taught 12 years apart. His name was Morton Estrin." He studied at the prestigious Juilliard School in Manhattan from 1979 to 1985.
The four movements of the symphony are the Fantasy, Sorbetto, Reverie and Nunley's Carousel Waltz. "For the finale, this is a pianistic showcase that takes everyone back to the glorious old wooden carousels,"said Biegel. He remembers taking his oldest son Craig to the carousel in Baldwin on Sunrise Highway before it closed in 1995. "It's an important piece, and now it [Nunley's Carousel] is immortalized not only on Long Island, but all over the world."
Among his many recent worldwide guest appearances with orchestras, he has performed in Mexico, Germany, as well as with the Boston Pops in Boston's Symphony Hall. He and his son Craig, a recent graduate of Lynbrook's North Middle School, co-composed 'The World In Our Hands', published by the Hal Leonard Corporation as a choral piece reflecting the events of September 11. "To make people envision a world of hope and peace," said Biegel. The song has been performed in Africa, Ireland, and throughout the U.S. Biegel will be available for educational outreach programs with schools planning to perform the new piece. Although the love of music has apparently been handed down, Craig aspires to be a surgeon, and Evan, a veterinarian.
As well as winning countless awards, Biegel has performed on ABC-TV's Good Morning America, in New York's Avery Fisher Hall and with many many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Philadelphia, Saint Louis, Pittsburgh and the National Symphony Orchestras, the Tokyo, New Japan, Hong Kong, Oslo, Bergen, Buffalo and BBC Philharmonics, Japanese Shinsei Symphony, Singapore Symphony, Danish National Radio Orchestra, Germany's State Symphony of Augsburg, Ulster Orchestra, Orchestre de Monte Carlo, Orchestre de Radio France, and more.
Upcoming concerts include performances with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Boris Brott Festival and the New Hampshire, Harrisburg and Brevard, FL symphony orchestra, for the 2006-07 season.
Biegel is currently on the piano faculty at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College, at the City University of New York and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.
Comments about this story? MMalloy@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000, ext. 202.
