The Piano Choir, Inc.

The Piano Choir, Inc.

A non-profit 501 c3 Organization

 

 

 

The Piano Choir Performance Group:

 

The Piano Choir began as a musical ensemble consisting of seven pianists from 1972 until 1976, performing musical concerts for colleges and concert producing societies.

 

The Piano Choir “concept” was drafted by composer/musician Stanley Cowell who brought together these accomplished and versatile personalities who were either playing with jazz greats or were well-known in their own right. On the stage in formal attire, they performed unique keyboard arrangements of jazz and non-jazz music to the delight of both jazz ad classical societies who were unaccustomed to seeing or hearing multiple keyboard instruments  convey close-knit harmony. Theirs was a performance to be appreciated, whether in concert or on recordings.

 

Original members - Nat Jones, Hugh Lawson, Webster Lewis, Harold Mabern, Danny Mixon, Sonelius Smith, and Stanley Cowell-toured concert halls, thrilling audiences wherever they appeared. Each musician brought with him not only a repertoire of highly developed skills and opulent experiences playing with popular artists, but also rich educational backgrounds that included study at highly respected institutions, both within the U.S. and elsewhere.

 

By 1974, The Piano Choir had recorded two critically acclaimed albums, “Handscapes” (Strata-East SES-19730) and “Handscapes 2” (Strata-East SES-19750). The first recording included original materials and works by two legends, Thelonious Monk (“Straight, No Chaser”) and gospel composer Thomas A. Dorsey (“Precious Lord”). in the second album, Cowell introduced the synthesizer to The Piano Choir sound.

 

Today, the performers, minus Mixon and Webster, are still highly proficient and each has become respected academic educators as well. The newest addition to the group is keyboardist William Knowles. and armed with the most recent CD release, “Handscapes95/The Piano Choir”, the group is increasing their performance and children workshop schedules to include new markets and a whole new world of fans.

 

The Piano Choir, Inc. Corporation:

 

After ceasing performances for 16 years, The Piano Choir, Inc. is now incorporated as a not-for-profit, non-stock corporation in the State of Maryland. Delaware and New Jersey.

 

Acknowledging the reality that certain formats of jazz - jazz presentations and promotion of the art, as well as the elements to foster jazz education - require support beyond traditional methods, the corporation was established. Scarce or selective radio and television broadcasts, along with the successful emerging media - cable, music video, pay-per-view- has given new impetus for the need to actively distinguish and popularize jazz, an indigenous music art form of America.

 

Activities Past and Present:

 

The present activities for the corporation consist of rehearsing, pursuing lectures, workshops, demonstrations, concerts, recordings, and other opportunities to promote musical education and appreciation of the piano as a musical instrument.

 

The Piano Choir, Inc. is currently incorporated in Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey.

 

The planned activities of the corporation include publishing music, concert production, legal counseling, copyrights, trademark, licensing, commissioning of new original works, visual, and audio documentation of performances, workshops, and rehearsals for educational purposes.

 

Since its incorporation in 1992, the first activity of The Piano Choir was a free concert for piano and music students at Lehman College, CUNY, Bronx, N.Y., on February 7, 1993.

 

Performance since that time have included workshops for students and the general public at the Publick Playhouse in Hyattsville, MD (1993 & 1994); the Cathedral of St. Joseph, Hartford, CT(1994), sponsored by Artists Collective Inc.; and the at the Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle sponsored by the Toledo Symphony (1995). In 1995 at George Washington University Auditorium, Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Washington Performing Arts Society; and in Philadelphia by the Philadelphia African American Historical Society’s Cultural Museum.

 

Financial Support:

 

The financial support for the organization will be derived from performance services by pianists, donations from individuals and corporations, grants from funding organizations, revenue and royalties from publishing and documentation projects, and ticket sales for concerts, performances, workshops and lectures.

 

Currently support is appreciated from Steinway Piano Company.

 

The Piano Choir graciously acknowledges the support of the Baldwin Piano Company for its help on many of their project in the early years.