Israel Kremen's KALEIDOSCOPE for Piano and Humankind Gets Recording Premiere by Irena Portenko

Online, September 5, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Blue Griffin label releases world-premiere recording of a unique work by Russian-born composer Israel Kremen titled KALEIDOSCOPE: TWENTY FIVE PRELUDES AND FUGUES FOR PIANO AND HUMANKIND.

The recording is of the live, world-premiere performance by Ukrainian-born pianist Irena Portenko at the PNC Recital Hall in Pittsburgh that took place in October of 2009. The concert which unveiled the new piece was a culmination of a close collaboration between Kremen and Portenko on the interpretation of the work.

Representing a myriad of musical and ethnical styles, KALEIDOSCOPE, makes a daring attempt to unite these musical idioms in a never-ending loop. As the intriguing title suggests, Kremen calls upon the audience to participate in the performance by clapping the rhythm, whistling a tune and reciting a text with the music, all of which can be heard on the new release.

This is the second release on the Blue Griffin label for pianist Irena Portenko, who first debuted as soloist with the Ukrainian National Orchestra at the age of eight. Her recording of Chopin's 24 Etudes Opus 10 and 25, which was released in 2009, followed a debut appearance at Carnegie Hall's Weil Recital Hall where the pianist presented Chopin's complete piano etudes to critical acclaim from the New York Times, which marked the performance as "admirably honest and clear-textured."

The recording is available for purchase at www.BlueGriffin.com, www.IrenaPortenko.com and will be officially released on iTunes, Amazon.com, as well as other online and physical retailers on October 1st.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
IRENA PORTENKO, pianist
Ukrainian-born Irena Portenko first displayed love and talent for the piano at age three and by age eight, debuted as soloist with the Ukrainian National Orchestra, performing Haydn's Concerto in D Major. Praised for her "diligent, tender, and sparkling virtuosity..." (Ukrainian Weekly, 2000) Ms. Portenko's distinguished array of concerto performances, recitals, festival appearances and recognitions at international competition has garnered impressive accolades from both audiences and critics throughout Europe and North America, granting her a career of international status.

Irena Portenko frequently appears as a soloist with orchestras in the United States and in Europe. She has performed under the batons of Kenneth Kiesler, Rossen Milanov, Volodymyr Sirenko and Allin Vlasenko, to name a few. As an avid chamber collaborator, Irena Portenko has appeared in recitals and enjoyed associations with distinguished artists in Ukraine, Russia, Germany, France, Italy, and United States. Her passion and devotion for collaborating and performing the music by contemporary composers has led her to frequent interpretations of numerous works by American and Ukrainian composers. Irena Portenko premiered Israel Kremen's Twenty Five Preludes and Fugues for Piano and Humankind (2009), and Triptych "Venetian Blinds" for solo piano by Michael Daugherty (2003), which was recognized by Mike Stryker of the Detroit Free Press as "...the most powerful work on the program..." Mr. Stryker went on to say - "Pianist Irena Portenko's exciting reading unlocked the music's technical challenges."

In 2009, Ms. Portenko's gave a critically acclaimed debut at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall featuring a performance of Frederic Chopin's complete Twenty-Four Études, prompting Antony Tommasini, reporting for the New York Times, to write: "her playing was admirably honest and clear-textured... Ms. Portenko pulled off a feat that puts her in a select company."

In May 2010, Irena Portenko released a CD recording of the Chopin Études on the Blue Griffin Label, which was met with significant critical praise from such outlets as Fanfare Magazine, for which Dave Seaman wrote:" [I] listened to Portenko's CD four times before writing this review, and each time found new subtleties to enjoy...it is a product of a distinctive voice and a fine temperament. Her interpretation develops the cycle's continuity with considerable success." London's Music & Vision Daily echoed the approval, commending Ms. Portenko's "enviable ease...fluidity of touch and tone..." (Robert Anderson). The CD continues to receive airplay nationwide in the United States, and was the August 2010 "Choice CD" on WCLV, praised by the radio's on-air personality Bill O'Connell as an "enormous undertaking, a pianistic high-wire act-to say the least!" Irena Portenko's new album "Kaleidoscope: Twenty Five Preludes and Fugues for Piano and Humankind" by Israel Kremen (2005) is to be released in July.

Among frequent awards and recognitions, Ms. Portenko has been awarded prizes at numerous international Solo, Concerto and Chamber Music competitions throughout the U.S. Ukraine and France such as the National Prokofiev Competition, Golden Autumn Chamber Music Competition (both in Ukraine), Pierre Lantier Competition (France) and Young Artist Competition (2002, Ann Arbor, MI)

As a respected educator, Irena Portenko has adjudicated the Solo Piano and Chamber Music Competition Art of the 21st Century (Kiev, Ukraine, 2004 and 2006); presented lectures and performances at College Music Society (Wilkes-Barre, PA 2006, Princeton, NJ 2007), MENC (Mansfield, PA 2006), the World Piano Conferences in Novi Sad Serbia, 2009, and at the Interharmony Music Festival (Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany 2010).

Irena Portenko holds Doctorate and Master's degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan, and a Post-Graduate degree in Collaborative Piano from the Ukrainian National Academy of Music. Her teachers include such renowned musicians and performers as Logan Skelton, Yong Hi Moon, Igor Ryabov, Liudmila Tsvirko, and Arthur Greene. Currently Dr. Portenko resides in New York area where she shares her passion for music as a piano teacher and freelance musician.