Dror Biran plays La valse by Ravel - Part II

DROR BIRAN's playing has been described in Die Bleed as "powerful, but also beautiful sensitive, brilliant but full of artistry, seductively lyrical but intensely dramatic at the climaxes". The Plain Dealer added "his fortissimos crashed and roared, but next to them came pianissimos that whispered seductively...he has technique to burn and uses it effectively..."
His superb tonal control combined with interesting phrasing and voicing has won him consistent critical acclaim and enthusiastic audience.
Born in Israel, Dr. Biran is a top prize winner of several national and international piano competitions. He is a graduate of the Givataim Conservatory where he studied with Mrs. Lily Dorfman and The Rubin Academy of Music at Tel-Aviv University where he studied with Prof. Arie Vardi.
Dror Biran won top prizes at the M.K Ciurlionis International Piano Competition (1995), and the Cleveland International Piano Competition (1997) where he also received a special prize for the best performance of works by Chopin. His honors include the first prize at the "Pilar Bayona International Piano Competition" in Zaragoza, Spain (1998), first prize at the Israeli Rubin Academy Piano Competition (1998), and the Rafi Goralnik prize for pianists, in the Aviv Competition 2000. Dr. Biran has been a recipient of multiple the scholarships from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation for distinguished musicians.
Dr. Biran has performed widely as a soloist with major orchestras including the Lithuanian Philharmonic Orchestra, RTVE Symphony Orchestra of Spain, Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, The Louisville Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. He has played under the batons of Etinger, Rodan, Gueller, Gacia Asensio, Lane and others. His concert tours have taken him to the United States, Eastern and Western Europe, Israel and South Africa.
As a chamber musician Dr. Biran has appeared on a regular basis with different music ensembles such as Carmel and Aviv String Quartets, he has also performed with members of The Cleveland Orchestra in different venues. His concerts have been broadcast by WUOL, WCLV, WQXR, The Voice of Music -- Israel, Classic FM South Africa among others. Dr. Biran can be heard on the JMC (Jerusalem Music Centre) labels featuring ballades by Brahms and Chopin.
Dr. Biran received his Doctoral degree from The Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied with Mr. Paul Schenly and Dr. Daniel Shapiro.Dr. Biran taught at Youngstown State University, Case Western Reserve University and University of Louisville.
Currently, he holds an Associate Professor of Piano position at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati.
His future engagements include chamber and solo concerts in USA, Europe and Israel.

[@davidconjefferson]

Dr. Biran's playing is out of this world. It was an honor to have seen him perform live.

[@musicsdarkangel]

What a phenominal musician; performances of this calibur where the pianist is so connected with the music are rare to find.

[@spacedogfl]

Of the many performances I've heard of this piece, this is the best in terms of dynamics and phrasing. I love the articulation - so clean despite the mess of notes being played. Bravo!

[@carnivalcruiserbill]

Ditto! This is the best performance that I've heard.

[@bobnrainy]

I actually couldn't sleep tonight for need of inspiration preparing this piece. Only your version demonstrated the deep internal conflict this piece has within it. I am grateful for your fearless ability to slow down the tempo where others merely plow through without control. Until I heard your performance, I was beginning to think this piece was a heartless, soulless monster. It has, with your hands and soul, been restored to music, in every noble sense. My profoundest thanks.

[@guitars2112]

2:59 Intense