Craig Nies has an active career a soloist and chamber musician in the United States and Europe. Frequent appearances in New York City have included Merkin Hall, Kaufman Hall, and Town Hall, with a solo debut at Alice Tully Hall. Broadcast concerts have included BBC television, Moscow television, RIAS Radio (Germany), WQXR, WNYC, and National Public Radio.
Mr. Nies has collaborated with members of the Alexander, Blair, and Franciscan String Quartets, the New York Woodwind Quintet, and has made several guest appearances as soloist at the Rutgers Summerfest. He has performed concerti with many notable conductors, including Michael Tilson Thomas, David Effron, Otto-Werner Mueller, Robert Kapilow, and Arthur Weisberg. A recent compact disc features several concert performances with flutist Thomas Nyfenger.
While teaching at Yale, Mr. Nies performed the complete works for solo piano by Debussy in four recitals. The entire series was featured on Connecticut Public Radio. He has also championed recent American music, playing for such distinguished composers as Elliott Carter, Donald Martino, George Perle, and Charles Wuorinen.
Born in Los Angeles, Mr. Nies attended the California Institute of the Arts, and received degrees from Curtis, Yale, and SUNY at Stony Brook. His teachers have included Earle Voorhies, Mieclaw Horszowski, Rudolf Serkin, Claude Frank, Ward Davenny, Beveridge Webster, and Gilbert Kalish. Mr. Nies is currently on the faculty of the Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University.
"...sensitively controlled in musicianship...fire and energy..."
-Los
Angeles Times
"...put on the kind of show geared to bring thousands to the edge of
their seats...(The audience) soaked up the thunder and lightning
eagerly."
-The Washington Post
"...a musician whose feeling for style, lyricism, mood, and color made him
a persuasive interpreter."
-The New York Times
"Nies revealed a broad color range and an easy sense of communication.
His clear and often brilliant articulation was never on display for
itself, but was clothed in shadings and softened attacks that let the
music seem to float and hover."
-Philadelphia Inquirer
"...ample technical strength...refined delicacy."
-Los Angeles Times
"...he is a virtuoso..."
-Moscow Press-Bulletin
"...a model of how an ensemble pianist should play."
-New York
Newsday
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