“A top-notch pianist…Burleson’s piquancy and poetry blended beautifully.”
– The Washington Post
Equally active as a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician, and jazz performer, Geoffrey Burleson, pianist, has performed to wide acclaim throughout Europe and North America. The New York Times has hailed Burleson’s solo performances as “vibrant and compelling,” praising his “rhythmic brio, projection of rhapsodic qualities, appropriate sense of spontaneity, and rich colorings.” Current recording projects include Camille Saint-Saëns: Complete Piano Works, on 6 CDs, for the new Naxos Grand Piano label. The first 5 volumes have been released to high acclaim from Gramophone, International Record Review, Diapason (France)and elsewhere. Other noteworthy recordings include Vincent Persichetti: Complete Piano Sonatas (New World Records), which received a BBC Music Choice award from the BBC Music Magazine, and AKOKA (Oxingale Records), featuring Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, as well as companion works, for which Burleson was nominated for a 2015 JUNO Award for Classical Album of the Year. Mr. Burleson’s concerto appearances include the Buffalo Philharmonic, New England Philharmonic, Boston Musica Viva, and the Holland Symfonia in the Netherlands. He has also appeared as featured soloist at the Bard Music Festival, Mostly Modern Festival, Monadnock Music Festival, Santander Festival (Spain), and the Mänttä Music Festival (Finland). He is a core member of the American Modern Ensemble, Ensemble Ipse, SWARMIUS, and the David Sanford Big Band. Mr. Burleson teaches piano at Princeton University and is Professor of Music and Director of Piano Studies at Hunter College-City University of New York. He is also on the piano faculty of the CUNY Graduate Center.
Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance, Stony Brook University. Piano with Gilbert Kalish
Master of Music in Piano Performance, New England Conservatory. Piano with Veronica Jochum, chamber music with Leonard Shure.
Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance, Peabody Conservatory. Piano with Lillian Freundlich and Tinka Knopf.
Additional private study with Leonard Shure
Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival: lessons and coaching with Artur Balsam, Tonu Kalam, Miriam Fried, Paul Biss, Lynn Chang, and Leon Kirchner.
Masterclasses with Leon Fleisher, Yefim Bronfman, Malcolm Frager, György Sándor, Edward Auer, Ian Hobson and others.
• Neil Rolnick: Lockdown Fantasies (Other Minds). Recording of 45 minute title work for solo piano and live electronics. Released 2023. Available here
• Camille Saint-Saëns – Complete Piano Works 5: Rarities & Transcriptions (Naxos Grand Piano GP 625). Released in 2019. Available here
• Camille Saint-Saëns – Complete Piano Works 4: Dances & Souvenirs (Naxos Grand Piano GP 625). Released in 2016. Available here
• AKOKA: Reframing Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet For The End Of Time, with clarinetist David Krakauer, cellist Matt Haimovitz and violinist Jonathan Crow (Oxingale 2022). Released in 2014. Available here
• Camille Saint-Saëns – Complete Piano Works 3: Character Pieces (Naxos Grand Piano GP 609). Released in 2012. Available here
• Camille Saint-Saëns – Complete Piano Works 2 (Naxos Grand Piano GP 605). Released in 2012. Available here
• Camille Saint-Saëns – Complete Piano Works 1: Complete Piano Études (Naxos Grand Piano GP 601). Released in 2012. Available here
• Roy Harris (1898-1979) – Complete Piano Music (Naxos 8.559664). Complete solo piano works of Roy Harris, including premieres of four manuscript compositions discovered at the Roy Harris Collection, California State University- Los Angeles. Released in 2010. Available here
• Vincent Persichetti: Complete Piano Sonatas (New World Records NW 80677-2) First recording to unite all 12 of Persichetti’s Piano Sonatas on one release (2 CDs.) Project supported in part by a Recording Grant from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, and a PSC-CUNY 38 Research Award. Released in 2008. Available here
• Odd Couple (Oxingale Records CD 2015) Duo CD of works by American composers with Matt Haimovitz, cello, including sonatas by Samuel Barber and Elliott Carter, a work by David Sanford, and a world premiere recording of a new work by Augusta Read Thomas. Recorded at McGill University Studios, Montreal, June 23-30, 2008. Released in 2008. Available here
Solo recitals and appearances at prominent venues in Paris (Église St-Merri), New York, Rome (American Academy), Athens (Mitropoulos Hall), Mexico City (National Museum of Art), Rotterdam (De Doelen), Chicago (Dame Myra Hess Memorial Series), Stockholm, Boston, Washington, Switzerland, Serbia, England, Spain, Italy and elsewhere.
Concerto appearances with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Holland Symfonia (The Netherlands), New England Philharmonic, Boston Musica Viva, Arlington Philharmonic, and many other orchestras.
Core member of the American Modern Ensemble, ECCE, Ensemble Ipse, the IMPetus Trio, SWARMIUS, and the David Sanford Big Band.
Numerous positive reviews for my solo performances and recordings from The New York Times, London Times, Toronto Globe & Mail, Boston Globe, BBC Music Magazine, Gramophone, American Record Guide, International Piano Magazine, Clavier Companion, Diapason (France), Ritmo (Spain), Opus (Sweden), and elsewhere
JUNO Award Nomination for 2015 Classical Album of the Year: Solo or Chamber Ensemble, for AKOKA: Reframing Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time
International Piano Choice Award, International Piano Magazine, for Camille Saint-Saëns: Complete Piano Works, Volumes 1 & 2 (Naxos Grand Piano), 2012
Voting Member, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GRAMMY Awards), 2008-
BBC Music Choice Award, BBC Music Magazine, for Vincent Persichetti: Complete Piano Sonatas (New World Records), 2008
Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Service to Jazz Education, International Association for Jazz Education, 2007
Elected as member of ACME (Artists, Composers, Musicologists, Educators), Mu Phi Epsilon International Professional Music Fraternity, 2007
Two Aaron Copland Fund Recording Grants, 2006 and 1998
Special Commendations, Vienna Modern Masters International Performers Competition, 1995
Peabody Career Development Grant, 1991
Member, Pi Kappa Lambda, 1988-
Silver Medal, International Piano Recording Competition, 1985
