Kenneth Broberg (born August 2, 1993) is an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
classical pianist
A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
. In June 2017 he won the silver medal at the
Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition The Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition took place in Fort Worth, Texas, from May 25 to June 10, 2017.
Commissioned work
All competitors were required to play the commissioned work in their 45-minute Preliminary Round recital. It ...
. In June 2019 Broberg earned the third prize and bronze medal at
The XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition.
In June 2021 he received the
American Pianists Association
The American Pianists Association is a performing arts organization based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, that holds two national, quadrennial piano competitions in alternating 2-year cycles: the Classical Fellowship Awards and the Jazz Fellowshi ...
award.
Early life and musical education
Broberg was born and raised in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
. Interested by the
upright piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
in his family home that was a wedding gift to his parents from his maternal grandparents, he began playing piano at the age of 6. At 9, he began studying piano with Dr. Joseph Zins at Crocus Hill Studios in
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississip ...
. He went on to study with Nancy Weems at the
University of Houston
The University of Houston (UH) is a Public university, public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the List of universities in Texas by enrollment, university in Texas ...
's
Moores School of Music
The Rebecca and John J. Moores School of Music is the music school of the University of Houston. The Moores School offers the Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts in Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in music performance, ...
, where he earned a
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescr ...
degree in 2016.
Broberg is a graduate student at
Park University
Park University is a private university in Parkville, Missouri. It was founded in 1875.
In the fall of 2017, Park had an enrollment of 11,457 students.
History
The school which was originally called Park College was founded in 1875 by John A. ...
in
Parkville, Missouri
Parkville is a city in Platte County, Missouri, United States and is a part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The population was 7,177 at the 2020 census (2021 est, 7,810). Parkville is known for its antique shops, art galleries, and his ...
, studying with
Stanislav Ioudenitch
Stanislav Ioudenitch (born December 5, 1971) is an Uzbekistani-born American pianist, known for winning the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Gold Medal at the Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2001, jointly with Olga Kern, as well ...
, who was a gold medalist at the
Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2001.
Professional career
Broberg was featured on
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
’s radio program for young musicians, ''
From the Top
From the Top is an independent nonprofit organization known best for its longstanding NPR radio and PBS television programs with the same name. Co-founded by Gerald Slavet and Jennifer Hurley-Wales in 1995, the organization showcases and develo ...
'', two times early in his career at the age of 16. He has since been broadcast on other radio stations across the world including
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and
KUHF
KUHF (88.7 FM branded as ''News 88.7'') is a public radio station serving Greater Houston metropolitan area. The station is owned by and licensed to the University of Houston System, and is operated by Houston Public Media, also known as H ...
in
Houston, Texas
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
.
Broberg has performed as guest soloist with orchestras around the world including the
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, that performs and produces primarily classic works.
The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable ...
,
Minnesota Orchestra
The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded originally as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, the Minnesota Orchestra plays most of its concerts at Minneapolis's Orchestra Hall.
History
Em ...
,
Seattle Symphony
The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Seattle Opera.
History
Beginnings
The orchestra ...
,
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Fort Worth, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall. In addition to its symphonic and pops concert series, the FWSO ...
, and
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra that was initially formed in 1908. Since its opening in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has been its home concert hall. Simone Young is the orchestra's chief conductor and firs ...
. He also performs solo recitals both on concert series and at festivals including the International Keyboard Odyssiad and Festival, the Rye Arts Festival in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, and New Orleans Keyboard Festival.
In addition to many other wins at international piano competitions, Broberg won the fourth prize at the
Sydney International Piano Competition
The Sydney International Piano Competition is a music competition, presented in Sydney and broadcast live throughout Australia and internationally. It is held every four years, over a three-week period in July–August, and is internationally r ...
in 2016; several of his performances from that competition were included on CDs released on the
Universal Music Australia
Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd. (UMA) is the largest Australian music corporation. It is a division of the Universal Music Group. Universal Music Australia's corporate headquarters are located in Sydney, Australia.
Labels
Universal Musi ...
label.
On June 10, 2017, Broberg gained international attention by winning the silver medal at the prestigious
Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition The Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition took place in Fort Worth, Texas, from May 25 to June 10, 2017.
Commissioned work
All competitors were required to play the commissioned work in their 45-minute Preliminary Round recital. It ...
. Broberg had been invited to the live competition in
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
along with 29 other competitors from a pool of 290 applicants. Broberg progressed through each of the four rounds which required two 45-minute solo recitals, one 60-minute solo recital, a piano quintet with the
Brentano String Quartet
The Brentano Quartet is an American string quartet.
History
Founded in 1992 at the Juilliard School, the quartet's founding members were violinists Mark Steinberg and Serena Canin, violist Misha Amory, and cellist Michael Kannen. At the suggestio ...
, and a
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
piano concerto
A piano concerto is a type of concerto, a solo composition in the classical music genre which is composed for a piano player, which is typically accompanied by an orchestra or other large ensemble. Piano concertos are typically virtuoso showpiec ...
with the
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra (FWSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Fort Worth, Texas. The orchestra is resident at the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall. In addition to its symphonic and pops concert series, the FWSO ...
and
Nicholas McGegan
James Nicholas McGegan OBE (born 14 January 1950 in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, England) is a British harpsichordist, flutist, conductor and early music expert.
Biography
McGegan received his early education at Nottingham High School. He subs ...
, and he chose to end the final round by performing
Rachmaninoff
Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one o ...
’s
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
The ''Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini'', Op. 43, (russian: Рапсодия на тему Паганини, ''Rapsodiya na temu Paganini'') is a concertante work written by Sergei Rachmaninoff for piano and orchestra, closely resembling a piano ...
with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and
Leonard Slatkin
Leonard Edward Slatkin (born September 1, 1944) is an American conductor, author and composer.
Early life and education
Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a Jewish musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His fat ...
. As a result of winning the silver medal, Broberg received $25,000 cash, three years of career management, a live recording, a recording partnership with
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
, press kits, videos, and a website.
As part of his Competition prizes,
Decca Gold
Decca Gold is a United States-based record label focusing on classical repertoire. It falls under the umbrella of Verve Label Group, owned by Universal Music Group. The label has a new roster of classical artists and partnerships, and was inspired ...
released his debut solo album on August 18, 2017, ''Cliburn Silver 2017'', featuring a selection of Broberg’s live performances during the Competition.
Awards
Discography
See also
*
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (The Cliburn) is an American piano competition by The Cliburn, first held in 1962 in Fort Worth, Texas and hosted by the Van Cliburn Foundation. Initially held at Texas Christian University, the co ...
*
Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition The Fifteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition took place in Fort Worth, Texas, from May 25 to June 10, 2017.
Commissioned work
All competitors were required to play the commissioned work in their 45-minute Preliminary Round recital. It ...
*
International Tchaikovsky Competition
The International Tchaikovsky Competition is a classical music competition held every four years in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia, for pianists, violinists, and cellists between 16 and 32 years of age and singers between 19 and 32 years of ...
References
External links
*
Cliburn profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Broberg, Kenneth
American classical pianists
Male classical pianists
American male pianists
Living people
1993 births
Prize-winners of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
Musicians from Minneapolis
University of Houston alumni
21st-century classical pianists
21st-century American pianists
Classical musicians from Minnesota
21st-century American male musicians
Prize-winners of the International Tchaikovsky Competition