Artist description At the age of nine his prodigious talents brought him to Columbia University; in 1975 he was discovered by Berry Gordy, who brought Mr. Goldstein to LA under contract to MOTOWN, as a recording artist / composer and producer. At the same time, interestingly enough, Mr. Goldstein was finishing a commission for a Bicentennial work, CELEBRATION OVERTURE 1776-1976, which was performed by the National Symphony Orchestra in May of 1976. After scoring all the episodes of NBC's FAME series, Mr. Goldstein added the world of computer electronic music to his pop, and orchestral experience. He quickly achieved prominence as an innovator of new technology, creating the very first completely computer sequenced direct to digital score for Guber/Peters' oceanQuest in 1985. CBS Masterworks released the CD under the title OCEANSCAPE. He later created the score for Sierra-on-line's KING'S QUEST FOUR, the first interactive computer game with a full blown musical score; the result has been a revolution in the computer game industry that has thus far sold over 1,000,000 games!In addition to scoring assignments with such film makers as John Avildsen, John Badham, Rob Cohen, Guber/Peters, Wes Craven, and Frank Perry; William Goldstein's career has simultaneously included such multifarious activities as a recording artist / composer / producer for such diverse labels as the previously mentioned MOTOWN and CBS MASTERWORKS. His concert scores have been performed from Carnegie Hall to Symphony Hall, Boston. He has gained a reputation as a unique keyboard improviser, spontaneously improvising complete scores, in real time, to films that he is seeing for the first time in concert.In addition to his professional activities in music and film, Mr. Goldstein has become a founder of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, a director of the California State Summer School for the Arts, and is a member of the music branch executive committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He has also been a "visiting artist" for the Academy, lecturing from the Far East to the Middle East on contemporary aesthetics as well as music in film.

Music Style Classical, New Age, Jazz, Soundtrack, Pop

Musical Influences Bach,Rachmaninoff,Ravel,Stavinsky, Copland,R&B, Pop

Similar Artists William Goldstein

Artist History First Impressions is unique in many ways?.?.This Neo-Romantic collection of emotionally connective impromptus of life, is rooted in the classical influences of Bach, Chopin, Ravel, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky and Copland to name but a few. This emotional wellspring combined with Mr. Goldstein?s pop and film experience have enabled him to create music that is dramatic, whimsical, romantic and at its best connects with the child like part of our being. Not surprising when one remembers that Goldstein was an artist / producer for both Motown and CBS Masterworks.What separates these impromptus from most contemporary improvisation is that Mr. Goldstein?s improvisations, like the classic impromptus, are more like ?instant composition?. They all have form, shape and developed themes. Most of the pieces are presented exactly as they were first performed, some with only minor edits. Only a few evolved in the more traditional compositional way. ?Genius isn't the ability to take simple ideas and make them obtuse, but rather the ability to take complex ideas and make them accessible??. In the end, all really great art shares two qualities: enough surface attraction to get people interested and enough depth to keep them coming back. This is why great artists of the past still speak to us. Great art also touches the nobler parts of our being; it has an immediate, graspable relationship with the human condition.?William Goldstein, Los Angeles Times

Group Members William Goldstein

Albums First Impressions,

Press Reviews An Exciting Night of Ballet, Piano Improv By LEWIS SEGAL, Times Dance Critic, Los Angeles TimesSwirling across a small carpeted stage at the Skirball Cultural Center on Thursday, Marla Bingham danced with such a powerful expressive focus, and such unerring technical surety, that it became hard to believe that this locally based ballet choreographer and teacher was making up her solo moment by moment. However this exciting "Dance of Life" benefit program for the Vital Options cancer support network coupled Bingham's improvisational dancing with equally impromptu pianism by film and television composer William Goldstein. As Vital Options founder Selma R. Schimmel explained in her opening remarks, "We don't know what we will see and hear tonight, and neither do they." Maybe not, but liquid imagery unified the first half of Bingham's 10-minute performance, from her metaphoric use of a gleaming aqua cape to her surging, eddying paths. Improvising classical ballet can be risky even on an ideal floor, so it was understandable that Bingham wore soft slippers rather than pointe shoes. * * *But her hyperextended classical line gave an extra sheen even to the passages later in the solo where she explored a quick, sharp, darting range of motion punctuated by moments of smiling stillness. Most of the program belonged to Goldstein, a practiced exponent of what he called "emotionally connective" music. He was very adroit, whether working with his composition "Cycles" from his recent "First Impressions" CD ("I'll play the part I remember and make up the rest"), or taking a three-note motif from an audience member and creating a subdued, meditative etude that proved one of the evening's highlights.

Location Los Angeles, CA - USA

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