The Inside Story: Gila Goldstein and 24 PRELUDES OF DUSK & DAWN

On 24 PRELUDES OF DUSK & DAWN, acclaimed pianist Gila Goldstein artfully harnesses the emotions of the piano to bring Ronn Yedidia’s compositions to life. Written amidst the lockdowns of COVID-19, Yedidia took this time of isolation to compose works that remain soulful and uplifting as they pay homage and tribute to his mentors, inspirations, and loved ones.

Today, Gila is our featured artist in the “Inside Story,” a blog series exploring the inner workings and personalities of our composers and performers. Read on to learn her wide-ranging inspirations and earliest musical experiences…

What have been your biggest inspirations on your musical journey?

The Israeli song repertoire and song writers such as Alexander Argov and Matti Caspi among many others, Vladimir Horowitz, Martha Argerich, Arthur Rubinstein, Glenn Gould, Leonard Bernstein, Keith Jarrett, Maria Callas, Mirella Freni, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Sting, Gal Costa, Nina Simone, Annie Lennox, and The Boys Choir of Harlem.

What advice would you give to your younger self if given the chance?

Always study more. For example I wish I had studied composition, voice, and languages. 

What emotions do you hope listeners will experience after hearing your work?

I hope they will be deeply moved by it.

What were your first musical experiences?

Sitting at the piano for the first time at age 4 and playing songs by ear, listening to my father’s LPs of the great old-time opera singers, pianists, and violinists, and performing at my teachers’ annual studio recitals.

Where and when are you at your most creative?

On the concert stage.

What’s the greatest performance you’ve ever seen, and what made it special?

Martha Argerich performing Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 at Carnegie Hall in Oct. 2001. An indescribable experience… she took it to a whole new, incomparable level.