Canfield student performs at honors piano recital

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JOSH GREENBAUM

Joshua Greenbaum, the son of Dr. Arthur and Toni Greenbaum of Canfield was invited, along with 10 other young pianists in his age division across Ohio, to perform in the Elizabeth Gerber Honors Program for Young Musicians under the auspices of the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs at their state convention in Newark, Ohio on Oct. 11. He performed “Allegro Burlesco,” a sprightly Chaplinesque piece composed by Friedrich Kuhlau, which he had previously performed taking first place in May at the Youngstown Music Teachers Association Masters Piano Solo Competition (the YMTA-YSU Masters) in Bliss Hall at Youngstown State University in the fourth- through sixth-grade division.

Greenbaum has studied locally for the past six years with Diane Debiec, Debiec has enrolled him annually in piano competitions at YSU, run by the local chapter of the National Federation of Music Clubs where he has received unanimous superior ratings for the past five years performing various piano solos and for the past two years performing concertos, as well as for knowledge of piano theory.

Greenbaum has also performed at the National Guild of Piano Teachers’ (the Guild) annual competition locally for five years, where he prepared and performed ten solo pieces consistently receiving a superior rating.

In May 2013, Greenbaum was first invited to participate in the prestigious YMTA-YSU Masters competition at YSU’s Bliss Hall, where he took first place in the Pre-A division open to first- through third-grade students. In the fourth grade, Greenbaum moved up to Division A, open to fourth- through sixth-graders, where he took first place again on May 10. He was excited to play his spirited competition piece again at the fourth-grade talent show at Hilltop Elementary School this past June. He has also performed annually in a Youngstown Musical Arts Festival sponsored by a group of local music teachers, where his winning performance was described for all four years as outstanding and truly musical.

This year, Greenbaum started fifth grade at the Canfield Village Middle School. He enjoys music old and new, including Sinatra, Elvis, the Beatles and classic music. In addition to the piano, he enjoys tennis, reading, movies, and playing Minecraft, as well as other computer games. He is now preparing for the next piano colo and concerto competitions that will follow in March and May of 2015.