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About Jarrod Radnich

Most often compared with Franz Liszt, pianist and composer Jarrod Radnich is ranked by ReverbNation as the #1 most popular living independent classical/instrumental musician globally and, with over half-a-billion video fans worldwide, has been heralded as “the force that is making the classical piano cool again.”

Radnich recently won a prestigious GLOBAL MUSIC AWARD for one of his original film scores, he has captured the top position on YouTube for piano performance, was featured with PianoDisc on NBC’s Today Show, his music video from HBO’s Game of Thrones was featured during last season’s Emmy Awards, he recently released exclusive covers and videos for both Disney’s Cinderella and Star Wars (which was #2 on the sheet music charts for weeks only behind Adele’s Hello), and Beauty and the Beast. A best-selling author of sheet music worldwide, he has partnered with Musicnotes to create an expansive library of new advanced-level piano arrangements of popular works.

As a Mason & Hamlin Concert Artist and a PianoDisc Recording Artist, and with favorite composers of Maurice Ravel, Hans Zimmer, and Sergei Rachmaninoff, Radnich’s current works follow suit. His fresh compositions and orchestrations, which have drawn much acclaim and have been performed by him at venues such as Lincoln Center and the Music Center at Strathmore, have made him a best-selling author with Hal Leonard Corporation, and have served as the launching pad for his Virtuosic Piano Solo Series. These compositions are performed around the globe, have been recorded exclusively by Radnich for PianoDisc player systems, and are on his latest CDs.  For almost 10 years, millions of visitors to Disneyland’s®  Tomorrowland were able to see him perform his extremely popular “Pirates of the Caribbean Medley” – “live” on a player piano in the Dream Home of the Future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUziUL8H5SA

Radnich concertizes throughout the country and is a pioneer and leader demonstrating the art and nuance of both Internet long-distance and live performance utilizing reproducing pianos in ways that are truly revolutionary. Presenting part of his piano instruction, he was featured by NBC’s Today Show as he coached a Miss America contestant (Anna Simpson) across thousands of miles using a PianoDisc iQ player system.  As part of the Mastermind Studios team, he created “PianoTube LIVE!” that was recently described as “a dazzling innovation” by The Music Trades. The innovation makes it possible for a YouTube viewer’s PianoDisc iQ equipped piano to literally play exactly as shown on the YouTube video they are watching, in sync with the video — all from specially encrypted data streaming from the YouTube video itself.

A child prodigy, at age 11 Radnich began professionally instructing piano and thereafter received full scholarships to Berklee School of Music at 14 and the University of Redlands at 16. During those teen years Radnich rose to be named the Musical Director of “Babes in Arms” (McCallum Theater), starred in “Jarrod in Concert” (Annenberg Theatre), and composed and produced an original, fully-orchestrated film score for the silent film Metropolis. Following a lengthy and intense battle with a life-threatening illness, during which he composed numerous orchestral and lyrical scores as he drew deeply on the healing strengths and powers of music, Radnich was spotlighted in presentations linking music and well-being at The Cleveland Clinic, The Voice Foundation, the Intel Visionary Conference, and various venues with the Yamaha Music and Wellness Institute’s CEO Dr. Barry Bittman.  Building on the success of his recent CD releases and record-breaking YouTube performances, Radnich will introduce his newest major original work, ARMAITA: La Vendetta Dell’Angelo – Piano Concerto No. 2  in an orchestral setting where the piano will be punctuated by high-powered electric bass, guitar, and drums.

Radnich also prolifically composes original scores and arrangements for live theatre, commercials, performances, and  film. His compositions may include any instrumentation from simply a few well-chosen instruments to the complexity and depth of a full African choir accompanying a large symphony orchestra. As the Artistic Director at the Hi-Desert Cultural Center, he creates original compositions and arrangements for most of the music and sound in the live theater productions, elevating the music of the award-winning Theater far above most others.

Helping individuals to participate in music making–whether it is recreational or more formal – is one of Radnich’s passions. As the President of the Hi-Desert Cultural Center in Joshua Tree, California, and founder of the Center’s Desert Music Foundation, he creates, composes for, and conducts the Center’s inter-generational community orchestra known as the Joshua Tree Philharmonic (“JPHIL”). Radnich creates new orchestral arrangements so that each member of this orchestra, regardless of skill level, can participate in and contribute to the full-scale orchestral movements–all without a loss to the depth of the musical performance. The JPHIL has seen extraordinary success and growth in the past several years as this innovative approach to orchestration increasingly draws greater numbers of musicians. On the more recreational side, Radnich, a graduate of Remo Drums’ “Health Rhythms” training, created Celestial Rhythms, community drum circle/star-gazing events held at the Joshua Tree National Park and run by the Hi-Desert Cultural Center. The events, which were featured by National Geographic, are one of many applications of wellness-oriented music making in which Radnich participates.

As a recording artist, Radnich chooses to exclusively record MIDI-based music files for PianoDisc, the maker of the world’s most popular piano player system and the largest related music library. Before he signed with PianoDisc, Radnich was a best-selling author for Yamaha, where he created and recorded his arrangements for his StarLIGHTS Series music/book software, over 60 albums for Smart PianoSoft technologies, and composed, arranged, recorded, and was the lead developer of products for “Follow Lights,” “CueTime,” “SmartKey,” and “Kooky Karaoke” technologies. Now Radnich is creating extensive recordings for PianoDisc’s library and the firm is working with Radnich to also create innovative educational materials using their recording technologies.

In addition to his volunteering at the Hi-Desert Cultural Center and the JPHIL, Radnich is an integral part of the executive management team bringing the revitalized and reconstructed Playhouse back to the community after a massive flood closed it several years ago. Most recently, as President of the Board of Directors, he is heading up the Hi-Desert Cultural Center’s development of a state-of-the-art West Coast Distance Learning Arts Center and recording studio with sponsors Mason & Hamlin and PianoDisc.

Jarrod Radnich is one of those rare musical geniuses who only comes along every few generations. His virtually immeasurable natural talent, combined with an incredible work ethic and dedication to his craft, put him in a league with some of the greatest musicians of history. Through his personal virtuosic approach, Jarrod is blazing his own trails and, thankfully, restoring a magnificence of solo keyboard performance that had faded over the past decades. He has set the standard to which we hope to direct our students.

Robert Humphrey, Executive Director, Conservatory of the Plains/Arts Academy of the Plains Foundation

When I heard and saw Jarrod perform live, I was truly astounded. And when I saw his performance again – but this time as a demo on our PianoDisc iQ Intelligent Player System – I knew that Jarrod’s musical performances would be a superb addition to our extensive piano music library. To watch the keys play exactly as he plays, with every nuance, rhythm, and ornament that he is famous for, is such a joy; and we look forward to adding much more of his outstandingly virtuosic music to our library over the coming years.

Tom Lagomarsino, PianoDisc

Our son is living testament that your approach and philosophy are concrete. We witnessed the transformation in him and it touched so many different aspects of his life beyond our expectations; increased self-confidence, positive social acceptance, opportunities for expressing himself, performing for anyone who will listen, and teaching and encouraging his siblings and peers.

Jeff B. - parent of young piano student