Blog - Deborah Grimmett

The Whole Note Magazine recently published a review of my debut solo album, Lineage:Tracing Influence.

“Beautiful, and beautifully-recorded”

“Wonderfully expressive”

“Exhibiting a deft touch and clear musicality”
“Considerable musical talent”

“A meaningful and deeply personal recording”

“Lineage does a fine job of offering one of those listening experiences where fans of classical music can immerse themselves in order to derive pleasure, meaning, and inspiration.”

Many thanks to The WholeNote, for this wonderful review of my album, Lineage: Tracing Influence. The album has so far also been featured on The New York Times, CBC Music, and RTÉ lyric fm.

The entire review may be read here: https://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/booksrecords2/classicalabeyond/30978-lineage-tracing-influence-deborah-grimmett

For those wishing to purchase a copy of the album, please head on over to: https://deborahgrimmett.bandcamp.com/

February 22, 2021

Dear Friends,

It is with great pleasure and excitement that I announce the release of my debut solo album, Lineage: Tracing Influence, on February 22, 2021, on New Classics Records. It is available now both as a digital and physical album on Bandcamp.

Lineage: Tracing Influence features premiere recordings of two works: Saoirdhréacht Gaedhealach (Gaelic Fantasy) by Rhoda Coghill, and Piano Sonata (Voyage) by Iranian-Canadian composer Iman Habibi, alongside works by Brahms, Debussy, and Respighi. In many ways, this album has been decades in the making, with the selected repertoire encompassing a tracing of both my own musical lineage, and that of the composers and their music. Here is an excerpt from the liner notes:

“Lineage: Tracing Influence is a celebration of the multifaceted roots of both the music on the disc, and of myself as an artist: an interweaving of my ancestral lineage, my roots by marriage, my pedagogical origins, and the way in which they intersect with the inspiration behind the pieces themselves.”

The support of FACTOR (Foundation for Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) and Canada Council for the Arts is very gratefully acknowledged.

I am delighted that my duo, Piano Pinnacle, has been invited by Berkeley Symphony to perform at their “Joseph Young & Friends: Made in Berkeley” digital concert. This event is celebrating the works of Berkeley-based composers Gabriela Lena Frank, Olly Wilson, Myra Melford, and Samuel Adams, and we have the honour of performing Gabriela Lena Frank’s thrilling Sonata Serrana No. 1 for piano four-hands. Along with this performance, Iman and myself will be online to speak with Berkeley Symphony’s conductor, Joseph Young as part of the live streamed event, and answer any questions. We long to be back to playing concerts with live audiences soon, but in the meantime, my piano duo and I are so happy and grateful that Berkeley Symphony is creating these wonderful online events.

Date & Time: Friday, October 30, 2020, at 5 pm PST (8 pm EST)

You can join from wherever you are in the world. Admission is free; follow this link to register and reserve your spot!

In November, Piano Pinnacle will be playing for The Heinz Awards at the ceremony honouring Gabriela as this year’s recipient of the prestigious Heinz Award in the Arts and Humanities category. We will be performing movements from her Sonata Serrana No. 1 in celebration of her award. Congratulations, Gabriela! This event takes place in November, but details for the live stream are still forthcoming. Be sure to check Piano Pinnacle’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages for updates regarding this! I will also post these updates on my social media platforms.

I am delighted to have received funding from Canada Council for the Arts and FACTOR (the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) towards my debut solo album, Lineage. This is a project which is very dear to my heart, and has been over a year in the making.

My debut solo album will feature works by Iranian-Canadian composer Iman Habibi, Irish composer Rhoda Coghill, Johannes Brahms, Claude Debussy, and Ottorino Respighi. I feel honoured to have a wonderful team in producer David Jaeger, and recording engineer Dennis Patterson for this project. Check back for updates as the recording process gets underway. Be sure to follow me on Facebook as well, where I tend to post more frequently with photos, news, and behind the scenes action! In addition, I will soon be announcing a release date for the album, as well as information about an album launch concert!

Meanwhile, I would like to take a moment to sincerely thank the Canada Council for the Arts and FACTOR for their support!

Deborah Grimmett practicing toward debut album in NYC apartment

Today, I’m sharing moments from my recent set of solo recitals in the United Kingdom and Canada. I had the pleasure of taking my programme, entitled Lineage, on tour to Winnipeg, Toronto, Manchester, and Belfast (as well as a private house concert in New York City into the mix), which was supported in part thanks for the Canada Council for the Arts. The programme included works by Debussy, Rhoda Coghill, Ligeti, Brahms, Resphighi, and Iman Habibi, and explored the way in which pre-existing music inspired and influenced composers of various stylistic periods. Each of these compositions mean a great deal to me, and taking them on the road to new cities and new audiences only served to strengthen this feeling all the more. I look forward to making a recording of many of these works in the coming months. Stay tuned! I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Canada Council for the Arts for their help in funding my travels for these recitals. These have already been posted most of these photographs on my Facebook page, so please join me there to receive more timely updates! BELFAST, Northern Ireland, UK Presented by Music at McQuiston. I loved playing at this beautiful venue in Belfast, for a concert series which has such a wonderful and warm following of people. MANCHESTER, England, UK It was a treat to perform a recital on the Bösendorfer piano of the polymathic composer, Anthony Burgess, at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation, which is a wonderfully intimate venue. TORONTO, Ontario, Canada It is always a treat to travel to the city of one of my Alma Mater (University of Toronto), especially to the wonderful Ernest Balmer Studio in the Distillery District. I was honoured to be the first pianist to perform a whole solo recital on the space’s newly acquired Bösendorfer Imperial grand piano.

Warming up on the Bösendorfer Imperial Grand at the Ernest Balmer studio, in Toronto

Introducing the pieces to the audience at solo recital in Toronto ON

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Canada It was my first time visiting the city of Winnipeg (and the province of Manitoba for that matter!), and I loved the laid-back vibe of the city. I was lucky enough to be able to reconnect with old friends, and hear a Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra concert while I was in town, and I had a wonderful time performing at Fort Garry United Church! I don’t have any photos from the actual recital, but here are a couple warm up photos.

With special thanks to:

On Sunday, August 19 2018, I am thrilled to be playing a solo recital in Belfast, Northern Ireland, presented by Music at McQuiston. Music at McQuiston is a wonderful concert series held at McQuiston Church Belfast. Belfast is the city in which my mother was born and raised, so I am especially excited to be travelling there to perform. Date: Sunday, August 19, 2018 Time: 3:00 PM Venue: McQuiston Church Belfast 83 Castlereagh Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Admission: Free! Donations gratefully accepted. Reserve your seat here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lineage-deborah-grimmett-piano-recital-in-belfast-tickets-48401721853 Music at McQuiston presents Deborah Grimmett solo piano recital August 19 2018 Press Release: BELFAST, Northern Ireland, July 27 2018 — New York City based Canadian-British pianist, Deborah Grimmett, is performing multiple solo piano recitals across Canada and the United Kingdom. On Sunday, August 19, 2018, Music at McQuiston presents Ms. Deborah Grimmett in a full solo piano recital at McQuiston Memorial Presbyterian Church in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Entitled Lineage, the concert programme explores the ways in which pre-existing music inspired and influenced composers of various stylistic periods. The repertoire includes works by Brahms, Debussy, Respighi, Ligeti, Irish composer Rhoda Coghill, and Iranian-Canadian composer, Iman Habibi. Described as “electric and absolutely breathtaking,” (CiTR radio), and “a true tour de force” (Musetta Stone), pianist Deborah Grimmett’s performances have been heard throughout North America and Europe in major concert halls such as the Orpheum Theater, and the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts (Canada), Auditorium Santa Croce (Italy), Norges Musikkhøgskole (Norway), Espace Carpeaux (France), Ganz Hall, and Sherman Clay Steinway Hall (US). She has appeared in concert with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, Ann Arbor Camerata, Dexter Orchestra, and NOVO Ensemble, among others. Ms. Grimmetts performances and interviews have been broadcast on CiTR, Classic 107, and South Carolina Public radios. She is well-known for her collaborations with composer-pianist Iman Habibi. In 2010, the couple formed a piano duo, Piano Pinnacle, which has won several international prizes including the First Prize at the United States International Duo Piano Competition, and the Second Prize and Audience Choice Awards at Northwest International Piano Ensemble Competition. Admission is Free. Donations are gratefully accepted. For more information, visit: DeborahGrimmett.com

On Friday, August 17 2018, I will be making my United Kingdom debut presenting a solo recital in Manchester, England, at the Engine House at International Anthony Burgess Foundation. The Bösendorfer grand piano housed at the Engine House belonged to the late English poet and composer, Anthony Burgess. Date: Friday, August 17, 2018 Time: 8:00 PM Venue: Engine House at International Anthony Burgess Foundation, 3 Cambridge Street, Manchester M1 5BY United Kingdom Admission: £10 online (link for tickets below); £12 at the door Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lineage-deborah-grimmett-piano-recital-in-manchester-uk-tickets-48402364776 Press Release: MANCHESTER, England, July 27, 2018 — New York City based Canadian-British pianist, Deborah Grimmett, is performing multiple solo piano recitals across Canada and the United Kingdom. On Friday, August 17, 2018, she will be presenting her UK debut performance, a full solo piano recital at The Engine House at The International Anthony Burgess Foundation in Manchester, UK. Entitled Lineage, the concert programme explores the ways in which pre-existing music inspired and influenced composers of various stylistic periods. The repertoire includes works by Brahms, Debussy, Respighi, Ligeti, Irish composer Rhoda Coghill, and Iranian-Canadian composer, Iman Habibi. Described as “electric and absolutely breathtaking,” (CiTR radio), and “a true tour de force” (Musetta Stone), pianist Deborah Grimmett’s performances have been heard throughout North America and Europe in major concert halls such as the Orpheum Theater, and the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts (Canada), Auditorium Santa Croce (Italy), Norges Musikkhøgskole (Norway), Espace Carpeaux (France), Ganz Hall, and Sherman Clay Steinway Hall (US). She has appeared in concert with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, Ann Arbor Camerata, Dexter Orchestra, and NOVO Ensemble, among others. Ms. Grimmetts performances and interviews have been broadcast on CiTR, Classic 107, and South Carolina Public radios. She is well-known for her collaborations with composer-pianist Iman Habibi. In 2010, the couple formed a piano duo, Piano Pinnacle, which has won several international prizes including the First Prize at the United States International Duo Piano Competition, and the Second Prize and Audience Choice Awards at Northwest International Piano Ensemble Competition. Tickets are £12 at the door. For more information, visit: DeborahGrimmett.com

I am pleased to announce dates for upcoming United Kingdom recitals, as part of the Canada-UK tour of my concert programme entitled Lineage. On Friday, August 17, 2018, I will make my UK debut in Manchester at the Engine House in the International Anthony Burgess Foundation, on the fabulous Bösendorfer piano that Anthony Burgess himself owned. The following Sunday, August 19, I will be in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to perform at McQuiston Memorial Presbyterian Church. This recital is presented by Music at McQuiston, a wonderful concert series which McQuiston Church hosts.

McQuiston Church Belfast N.I.

Engine House at Charlton Mill, International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester, England

On May 25, 2018 I will be presenting a solo piano recital in Toronto ON, as part of my multiple city recital tour, Lineage. I’m thrilled to be returning Toronto, a city in which I lived during my grad school years, and I can hardly wait to make friends with the lovely Bösendorfer at The Ernest Balmer Studio! For tickets, visit: https://deborahgrimmetttoronto.brownpapertickets.com/ TORONTO, ON New York City based Canadian-British pianist, Deborah Grimmett, is performing multiple solo piano recitals across Canada and the United Kingdom. On Friday, May 25, 2018, she will be the first pianist to present a full solo piano recital on the $225,000 Imperial Bösendorfer piano housed at The Ernest Balmer Studio in Toronto’s Distillery District. Entitled Lineage, the concert programme explores the ways in which pre-existing music inspired and influenced composers of various stylistic periods. The repertoire includes works by Brahms, Debussy, Respighi, Ligeti, Irish composer Rhoda Coghill, and Iranian-Canadian composer, Iman Habibi.

Location: Ernest Balmer Studio (9 Trinity Road #316) Toronto, ON Time: Friday, May 25, 2018, 8pm Tickets: Adults: $20 – Students/Seniors: $10

For tickets, visit: https://deborahgrimmetttoronto.brownpapertickets.com/ and at the door. For more information: www.DeborahGrimmett.com

I am thrilled to announce the first recital of my upcoming Canada/UK tour which will take place in Winnipeg, MB on May 13th 2018. See below for the press release.

Tickets may be purchased online here: https://deborahgrimmettwinnipeg.brownpapertickets.com/

Lineage: A Piano Recital New York City based Canadian-British pianist, Deborah Grimmett, is performing multiple solo piano recitals across Canada and the UK, starting with a concert on Sunday, May 13, 2018, 4 PM at Fort Garry United Church (800 Point Road, Winnipeg, MB). Entitled Lineage, the programme explores the ways in which pre-existing music inspired and influenced composers of various stylistic periods. The repertoire includes works by Brahms, Debussy, Respighi, Ligeti, Irish composer Rhoda Coghill, and Iranian-Canadian composer, Iman Habibi. Described as electric and absolutely breathtaking, (CiTR radio), and a true tour de force (Musetta Stone), pianist Deborah Grimmetts performances have been heard throughout North America and Europe in major concert halls such as the Orpheum Theater, and the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts (Canada), Auditorium Santa Croce (Italy), Norges Musikkhøgskole (Norway), Espace Carpeaux (France), Ganz Hall, and Sherman Clay Steinway Hall (US). She has appeared in concert with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, Ann Arbor Camerata, Dexter Orchestra, and NOVO Ensemble, among others. Ms. Grimmetts performances and interviews have been broadcast on CiTR and South Carolina Public radios. She is well-known for her collaborations with composer-pianist Iman Habibi. In 2010, the couple formed a piano duo, Piano Pinnacle, which has won several international prizes including the First Prize at the United States International Duo Piano Competition, and the Second Prize and Audience Choice Awards at Northwest International Piano Ensemble Competition. For more information: www.DeborahGrimmett.com

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Deborah Grimmett

Review of Lineage: Tracing Influence

Release of Debut Solo Album – Lineage: Tracing Influence

Piano Pinnacle Performances of Gabriela Lena Frank’s Sonata Serrana No. 1 presented by Berkeley Symphony and The Heinz Awards

Debut Album for Solo Piano

Photos from Solo Recitals in United Kingdom and Canada

Solo Recital in Belfast, Northern Ireland Presented by Music at McQuiston

Solo Recital in Manchester, England

Announcing UK Recital Tour Dates – August 2018

Recital in Toronto on May 25 2018

Announcing Upcoming Recital Tour: Lineage