NYC alternative music venue Le Poisson Rouge has announced the addition of consummate new music champion Donald Berman to its season schedule for Winter 2009. On Sunday, 01 March 2009 at 7pm, the club will present Mr.Berman in When Brahma Sleeps, an evening of electro-acoustic works for piano. The program features four compositions by Mark Wingate, as well as works by Su Lian Tan, Eric Moe, Eric Chasalow and David Rakowski for the piano in combination with an impressive array of electronic gizmos, from the celeste to the computer processor. The concert, made possible in part by The Argosy Foundation for Contemporary Music Fund, includes eight New York premieres. Tickets are $15 and are available through Le Poisson Rouge at 212-796-0741 and online at www.lepoissonrouge.com.

American pianist Donald Berman is recognized as one of the chief exponents of new works by living composers, overlooked music by 20th century masters, and recitals that link classical and modern repertoires. His two most recent CDs, Americans in Rome (Bridge 9271) and The Light That is Felt: Songs of Charles Ives (with soprano Susan Narucki, New World 80680), were both named BBC Music Magazine's North American CD of the Month, in January and February 2009, respectively. His CDs The Unknown Ives (in two volumes, on CRI 811 and New World 80618), and The Uncovered Ruggles (New World 80629) have been acclaimed internationally as definitive interpretations. Among Mr.Berman's earlier CDs are recordings of works by Aaron Jay Kernis, Arthur Levering, Tamar Diesendruck and Scott Wheeler.

Donald Berman, a prizewinner at the 1991 Schubert International Competition, was educated at Wesleyan University (‘84), where he studied with the legendary Ives interpreter John Kirkpatrick; he earned his graduate degree at New England Conservatory (MM ‘88), where he studied with Leonard Shure. Mr.Berman is a member of the new music group Dinosaur Annex, teaches at Tufts University, and directs the New England Conservatory Summer Piano Institute. He lives with his wife and two children in New York City.

                                                                                                                                                                            **New York premiere
                                                                                                                                                                            §§ Written for Donald Berman