Brandon Goldberg - Bio -
Junior Composer in Residence
BIO
Brandon Goldberg, twelve years old, began to play piano by ear when he was three years old. Brandon enjoys composing his own music and listening to his favorite artists including Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane.
Brandon has appeared on the Harry Connick Jr. Show, NBC’s Little Big Shots and the Steve Harvey Show. He has also performed at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center with Monty Alexander, The Apollo Theater, Blue Note Jazz Club in New York, Bravo Niagara Festival and the Litchfield Jazz Festival.
Brandon was named Downbeat Magazine’s Student Music Awards winner for Jazz Soloist and Outstanding Original Composition. He recently finished recording his debut album with Ben Wolfe, Donald Edwards and special guest Marcus Strickland.
Brandon works closely with the Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) and performed at the JFA annual Gala – A Great Night in Harlem at the famous Apollo Theater in New York, where he presented McCoy Tyner with his Lifetime Achievement Award. Brandon also performed at the JFA’s “Q & You” fundraiser hosted by Quincy Jones and Alan Bergman in Los Angeles.
Brandon has given three TED talks at TEDxYouth@Miami, TEDxBocaRaton and TEDxCoconutGrove. He also participated in the Miami Beach Jazz Festival, Broward 100 Celebration, American Protégé – International Music Competition, Young Talent Big Dreams and the Aventura Young Stars Showcase. He’s been featured as a soloist with the South Florida Youth Symphony, the Sugar Pops Symphonic Orchestra as well as the Superintendent’s Honors Music Festival Jazz Orchestra.
Brandon won first place for Original Composition in 2015 and 2013 and Piano Solo Performance in 2014 from the Miami Music Teachers Association. Brandon was the youngest recipient of the 2015 and 2013 Miami Music Club Scholarship.
Through his love for music, Brandon has helped raise funds and awareness for various charitable organizations including Jazz Foundation of America, Israel Bonds, Debbie’s Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer, City of Hope, and Broward Children’s Center. Brandon hopes his music can help and inspire others.
Brandon currently studies both classical and jazz piano and attends Litchfield Jazz Camp and French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts.
“The diminutive Goldberg then took his place behind the piano—but not before adjusting the height of the bench—to perform a composition with the sensitivity and poignancy of a musician three times his age.” – Brian Zimmerman, Downbeat Magazine, Nov. 14, 2016