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  • Faculty

  • Donna Weng Friedman

    Email
    wengd@newschool.edu

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    Donna Weng Friedman

    Profile

    Pianist Donna Weng Friedman enjoys a varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, teacher, curator and app developer.  Along with soprano Allison Charney, she is the co-creator and co- host of HER/MUSIC;HER/STORY, a mini-series on WQXR as well as a concert series that shines a light on women composers, past and present.

    As a recitalist, she has appeared at Caramoor, Jeu de Paume, France, Symphony Hall in Shanghai, the Flagler Museum, the 92nd St. Y, Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall and Alice Tully Hall.   She has collaborated with St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble, Carter Brey, Ani Kavafian, David Shifrin, Elizabeth Mann, Marya Martin, Marie-Elisabeth Hecker and Paul Neubauer, and has performed as soloist with the Atlanta, Philadelphia and Shanghai Symphony Orchestras, to mention but a few.  Ms. Weng Friedman has conducted master classes at the Shanghai and Beijing conservatories and is on the faculty of the Mannes School of Music.

    The curator of the Donna Weng Friedman '80 Master Class Series at Princeton University, she is also a member of Princeton University Music Department’s Advisory Council as well as the board of directors of Friends of Thirteen. Ms. Weng Friedman received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University where she was a University Scholar and a Master’s of Music Degree from the Juilliard School, under the tutelage of Adele Marcus, where she was awarded the prestigious Gina Bachauer Award as well as the William Petschek Full Scholarship. She had the privilege of working with the great composer/teacher Nadia Boulanger and pianist Radu Lupu.

    She was the music supervisor and recording artist for the award-winning film documentary “Frames of Life” as well as for the documentaries “Living Liberty” and “Morris Engle: The Independent”.  Ms. Weng Friedman is the creator of “The Music Bee Club” interactive classical music apps series for children ages 2-8 featuring wor. ld class musicians, such as cellist Carter Brey and flutist Elizabeth Mann, produced by fourteen-time Grammy Award winner David Frost.

    Degrees Held

    • B.A. Princeton University
    • M.M. The Juilliard School

    Professional Affiliation

    • Princeton University:  Director of the Donna Weng Friedman '80 Masterclass Series, Music Department
    • Advisory Council Member, Princeton University Music Department
    • Mannes College of Music: Prep Division, Piano Faculty

    Recent Publications

    • Apps for children - musicbeeclub.com
    • The Flight of the Bumble Bee
    • The Swan
    • HER/MUSIC;HER/STORY commission The Clara Cycle, music by Kim d. Sherman, poems by Royce Flippin

    Performances and Appearances

    • 2018-2019  fall/spring season
    • HER/MUSIC;HER/STORY launched at Princeton University She Roars: celebrating women at Princeton , 10/6 at the Lewis Center for the Arts
    • Preformances at Merkin Hall, with Kelly Hall-Tompkins, violinist and Allison Charney, soprano 10/22
    • Recital with violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins, 11/18, Taplin Auditorium, Princeton University
    • H/M;H/S  lunchtime tutorial, Mannes Prep, 1/12 
    • Preformance with Carter Brey, principal cellist of the NY Philharmonic, 2/11
    • Steinway Hall, H/M;H/S 3/2
    • HER/MUSIC;HER/STORY, presented by the New School and the New Historia, Tishman Auditorium, 3/8
    • Recital with Carter Brey, 4/14, Taplin Auditorium, Princeton University
    • HER/MUSIC;HER/STORY with Artists Collective, Full Moon Art Center, summer 2019, dates TBA

    Research Interests

    • Teaching children how to understand and connect with the inherent narrative in classical music.
    • Shining a light on under appreciated and over looked women composers, past and present, sharing their stories as well as their music.

    Awards And Honors

    • Princeton University:  University Scholar 1976-1980
    • Juilliard School:  Gina Bachauer Piano competition,  William Petschek Full Scholarship Award

                                      

    Current Courses

    Lesson 1 hour

    Lesson 1 hour (Fall 2019)

    Lesson 1/2 hour

    Lesson 1/2 hour (Fall 2019)

    Lesson 3/4 hour

    Lesson 3/4 hour (Fall 2019)

    Preparatory Instruction

    Preparatory Instruction (Fall 2019)

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