The Piano Pod team had a wonderful conversation with the musical power couple, Juhi Bansal & Nic Gerpe, from L.A.!
📝 Juhi Bansal (composer/conductor): “Radiant and transcendent,” the music of Juhi Bansal weaves together themes celebrating musical and cultural diversity, nature and the environment, and strong female role models. Her music draws upon elements from Hindustani music, the spectralists, progressive metal, musical theatre, and choral traditions to create deeply expressive sound-worlds.
As an Indian composer brought up in Hong Kong, her work draws upon both those traditions with the gestures of western classical music. Recent seasons have included commissions from the Los Angels Philharmonic Association, Beth Morrison Projects, New York Virtuoso Singers, and more. Her music is regularly performed throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia and is available on the Naxos, Albany, and Roven Records labels. She currently serves as a music faculty member at Pasadena City College.
🎹 Nic Gerpe (pianist): Hailed as magnetic by Dan Johnson from L.A. Downtown News. L.A. Times music critic Mark Swed described his playing as “wonderfully illuminating… his tone is crystalline. His technique is dazzlingly fluid.” A dedicated proponent of new music, Nic has worked with composers such as Steve Reich, Gernot Wolfgang, and Anne LeBaron, and has given numerous world premieres in the Los Angeles area and abroad. Nic has performed in such venues as Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
As one of four young pianists featured on L.A.-based Piano Spheres’ new Satellite Series, he recently performed a critically-acclaimed solo recital at the Roy And Edna Disney Cal Arts Theater. Nic is also a dedicated educator and has been on the Piano Faculty of the Pasadena Conservatory of Music since 2006.
In this interview, we covered topics including:
- ✅ Juhi’s latest projects include “Waves of Change” and “Edge of a Dream.
- ✅ Nic’s latest project, “Macrokosmos 50”
- ✅ Promoting contemporary piano music through their collaboration of writing late-intermediate piano pieces, “Travels.”
…and so much more!
[Links]
- 🌐Juhi Bansal: https://juhibansal.com/
- 🌐Nic Grepe: http://www.nicgerpe.com/
[Resources for Contemporary Music]
Playlists on YouTube:
- – Juhi Bansal: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7p8…
- – George Gianopoulos: https://www.youtube.com/c/GNGianopoul…
FB groups:
- – Los Angeles Contemporary Music Enthusiasts: https://www.facebook.com/groups/50943…
