In Latin American Piano Gems, her new album release, Gila Goldstein performs piano works by Latin American composers. These true musical gems showcase how the pianist, born in Israel and currently residing in New York, demonstrates a deep understanding and sensitivity for the music of our continent.
The album includes works by Argentinians Carlos Guastavino and Astor Piazzolla (including her own transcription of “Oblivion”), Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, Mexican composer Manuel Ponce, and Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.
Latin American Piano Gems was recorded for the Centaur label and is available on all digital platforms.
By Maxi Luna
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Tell us a little about your beginnings in music and how you came to the piano as your instrument?
My parents believed in music education for their two daughters, me and my older sister. They bought an upright piano for my sister to begin piano lessons when I was 4 years old. When I was 2 years old, they already noticed that I was able to sing very clearly and precisely some tunes I heard on the radio. Shortly after the piano arrived home, they were amazed to see me approaching the piano and playing by ear many of the songs I heard on the radio and some of the small pieces my sister was practicing. So it happened to be a totally natural beginning for me. I loved the piano from the first sight and hearing, played it as soon as I saw it, and officially began piano lessons at age 6.
Who were your teachers and what teachings did they leave you?
As a child and teenager in Israel, I had two teachers, Nitza Abarbaya and Hadassa Ben-Haim. These ladies gave me an excellent foundation in reading music, piano technique, and musicianship. Then during my Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance at Tel-Aviv University’s School of Music, I studied with Victor Derevianko (born 1937), who helped me find and develop my own artistic voice and spoke a lot about sound and character and the subject of artistic music interpretation.
After I graduated, I came to New York City to pursue my Master of Music in Piano Performance at the Manhattan School of Music on a full scholarship with the legendary Nina Svetlanova, who just passed away in July (1932-2024). She enhanced in her teaching the approach to sound/tone colors, timing, phrasing, and expression. I also must add that both Prof. Derevianko and Svetlanova studied in Moscow with the legendary Russian pedagogue Heinrich Neuhaus, who was also the teacher of Sviatoslav Richter and Emil Gilels.
What are your most remembered concerts and why?
My most remembered concerts are my New York recital debut, my London recital debut, my performances with a few orchestras in Israel and in Mexico City, and my concerts at the 2008 Progetto Martha Argerich in Lugano. These were pivotal events in my career.
Looking at your discography, except for the album “Classical Portrait” (2005), you seem to have a special interest in less performed music. How do you select the repertoire for your concerts and recordings?
I select music that I love. I have to have great chemistry with the music that I perform. It must deeply move me; it must make me sing, dance, cry, and laugh. FEEL. My favorites are Bach, Romantic composers, Latin American composers, and some contemporary composers such as Prokofiev, Bartok, Medtner, and Poulenc. My first two albums were dedicated to Israel’s leading composer Paul Ben-Haim (1897-1984). He was the founder of Israeli classical music, especially in the category of the Mediterranean composition style. I recorded his entire piano works and several chamber works. In his case, it was not only that I had chemistry with the music but I also believed in the importance of promoting him (postmortem) as the leading composer of my native country and revealing this repertoire to the world.
How did your interest in Latin American music and composers as varied as those of your latest album arise?
Already at my New York Debut Recital more than 20 years ago, I chose to perform “Danzas Argentinas” by Alberto Ginastera. I had heard them played earlier by someone else and immediately decided I HAD to perform this work, which later appeared on a CD of “Live from New York.” Subsequently, I also learned and performed his Sonata No. 1.
My passion for Latin American music has grown over the years. In fact, I loved non-classical Latin music before classical, as it was quite popular in Israel when I was growing up. I have a natural chemistry with the Latin rhythms and rich harmonies. The exciting rhythmic parts of the works, combined with the pensive and wistful character, that “Triste,” resonate deeply with me. It’s hard to explain.
Shortly after arriving in New York, I discovered Piazzolla and made my arrangement of “Oblivion” in the early 2000s. However, my introduction to Carlos Guastavino came only in 2020, thanks to my Argentinian/American pianist friend Dr. Nancy Roldán, who knew him personally and organized a virtual Guastavino festival during the challenging year of 2020, where she invited me to participate. That event led me to study four different pieces by Guastavino. I fell in love with his music the moment I read the score.
Similarly, I discovered Lecuona’s works about 20 years ago and have performed them several times since. Villa-Lobos, on the other hand, came into my repertoire shortly after Guastavino. Knowing both composers’ works, I thought it would be wonderful to create a group of Latin American pieces for my new recital program. Additionally, my student recorded the Intermezzo by Ponce, which was a nostalgic piece I loved years ago. I included it in my album, and it has now become a frequent encore piece.
After learning multiple works by Guastavino, I realized that I had enough repertoire to record a beautiful new album. That realization led to a firm decision—I was committed to making it happen. Indeed, things unfold when the time is right; there is always a reason and a perfect moment for every major project we undertake.
What are your next projects and when can we see you in Argentina?
I just finished recording another album which will be released in February 2025. These are “24 Preludes of Dusk and Dawn” by my friend composer/pianist Ronn Yedidia. These preludes can be perceived as homage to the great old masters (Romantic, French, Russian). They are both virtuosic and poetic, yet original, very engaging, and sumptuous music. I will be touring China and Europe this fall and will combine in my recitals works from both albums as well as Bach, Schubert, and Liszt.
I do hope to perform in Argentina in the future, but the opportunity has yet to arrive.
Read also:
Latin american piano gems – Gila Goldstein – Música Clásica Buenos Aires (musicaclasica.com.ar)
