Edward Forstman, Pianist
Edward Forstman
Drawn to opera through contemporary music, pianist Edward Forstman seeks out collaborations and opportunities to bring fresh perspectives and new stories to the opera and concert stage. He has worked with composer Whitney George on the premieres of her operas Julie (New Camerata Opera) and Princess Maleine (dell’Arte Opera Ensemble) and with Andrea Clearfield for the premiere of Mila, Great Sorcerer (Prototype Festival). In the summer 2021 season, Edward will be a Tomita Young Artist vocal coach and collaborative pianist at Finger Lakes Opera in Canandaigua, New York. Edward was scheduled to be the rehearsal pianist for dell’Arte Opera Ensemble’s summer 2020 production of Anna Bolena, which was cancelled due to Covid-19.
During the pandemic, he has presented virtual concerts with soprano AddieRose Forstman for the Downtown Music at Grace series in Westchester, NY, and the Songs from Hibernation series hosted by dell’Arte Opera Ensemble. These programs were celebrations of American art song, and included works by Eve Beglarian, Nailah Nombeko, Nico Muhly, Brad Mehldau, and the premiere of two songs by Maria Thompson Corley. Edward and AddieRose also recorded performances of works by Corley and Yvonne Fuller for Christman Opera Company’s virtual project Voices Raising Voices. Other projects of this season have included recording two radio plays (one upcoming), scored by Whitney George, with members of the contemporary chamber ensemble The Curiosity Cabinet, conducted by the composer.
Since completing his Master’s degree in Contemporary Piano Performance at the Manhattan School of Music, Edward has worked as a vocal studio pianist at Sarah Lawrence College and as a pianist and coach for the Contemporary Opera Ensemble (COE) at the Manhattan School of Music. With COE, he coached and rehearsed a workshop of REV. 23, by Julian Wachner, in preparation for its presentation at the 2020 Prototype Festival. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Edward performed a series of solo concerts featuring composers of the Birmingham Art Music Alliance in the 2019-2020 season. In the same season, Edward made various appearances as an orchestral keyboardist with The Orchestra Now (TŌN). He served as a pianist and celestist for TŌN, led by Maestro Leon Botstein, in their Carnegie Hall concert of Stravinsky’s The Fairy’s Kiss and rarely heard works by Othmar Schoeck and Dimitri Mitropoulos (recorded and released by Bridge Records), as well as playing in the pit for REST IN PIECES, conducted by Maestro James Bagwell and directed by Stephanie Blythe, at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts.
In addition to a Master’s degree in Contemporary Piano Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Margaret Kampmeier, Christopher Oldfather, and Anthony De Mare, Edward holds a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music.