Biography

William Goldstein has been a recording artist for Motown and CBS Masterworks. His own label, distributed worldwide by The Orchard has over 70 albums currently available, generating between 2,000,000 and 11,000,000 streams monthly. He has scored over 50 Movie and Television projects, including Fame & The Miracle Worker. He has written on the arts for The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. He has been a pioneer in the use of computers and electronic instruments in music. His most distinguishing characteristic as a composer / pianist is his gift of "Instant Composition", which he shares with audiences through Master Classes, recitals and Albums.

... (Recording First Impressions)

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.

Since then he has scored over 50 film and TV projects (including Fame, The Miracle Worker, Twilight Zone & Shocker), written Op-Ed's for the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. He is a founder of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, a director of the California State Summer School for the Arts, and serves on both the music branch executive committee, and foreign language 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. He was asked to deliver the Academy Foundation's First Seminar on Film Scoring.

In August 2011, he was invited by the Transatlantyk International Film and Music Festival in Poznan, Poland, to give Master Classes on the "Art of Instant Composition". He also presided over the jury in what was most likely, the first competition in "instant composition" in over 100 years. A musical expression practiced by most of the great composers throughout history.

....(William with Debbie Allen on the Fame set....MGM publicity photo)

....(Composer and pianist William Goldstein explains his gift of Instant Composition, in Krakow, Poland)

(Goldstein's versatility was featured in a multiple print campaign, promoting high end Audio. His" Magic Disco Machine" was just released by Motown, "Bingo Long" was just released by Universal & the National Symphony was about to premiere "Celebration Overture 1776-1976")

Mr. Goldstein early on established himself as a composer who is comfortable all over the musical map. In addition to film scoring, recording and Concert Scores performed from Carnegie Hall to Symphony Hall Boston; he established himself as an innovator of New Technology.

In 1985 he created the very first completely computer sequenced direct to digital score for NBC's oceanQuest. CBS Masterworks released the CD as OCEANSCAPE. He then created the score for Sierra-on-line's KING'S QUEST FOUR, the first interactive computer game with a full blown musical score; resulting in a revolution for the computer game industry.

While the diversity of his activities have some thinking of Goldstein as a contemporary Renaissance man, his most formidable gift has always been his ability to sit at a piano and create "instant composition." He has gained a reputation as a unique keyboard improviser, spontaneously creating ballets with dancers of international renown, improvising complete scores to films that he is seeing for the first time; all in real time and in concert.

He has been sharing these gifts in his Master Class in Improvisation and The Creative Process. His uniquely gifted improvisations, his arts philosophy (Los Angeles Times), his innovations in technology, his unique approach to solving difficult issues (New York Times), and most of all, his music, continue to inspire. The opportunity to witness the spontaneous burst of creativity apparent in his improvisations, gives music, dance, theater, film and creative writing students; even MBA's, insight into their own creativity, talents and imagination. ( Read the Los Angeles Times review of Goldstein Improvising a Ballet )

....(CTS Studios, London 1980's)

View a Master Class Piano Improvisation

A video interview with Dancer Qi Zhang from the DVD Of The Moment

...... see an Improvised Ballet with Qi Zhang from the DVD Of The Moment

...... see a 2nd Improvised Ballet with Qi Zhang and her beautiful red fan from the DVD Of The Moment

(Film scoring in concert, Krakow Poland, March 2013)

In addition to his professional activities in music and film, Mr. Goldstein is a founder of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, a founding director of the California State Summer School for the Arts, and served for many years on both the music branch executive committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as well as its foreign language (now International film) committee. 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.

Little Tastes for Various Palettes

Watch, Listen & Read

(Goldstein in Krakow Cinema for Screen & Sound Festival March 2013)
Making Art Passionately

A stimulating essay on contemporary aesthetics, published in the Los Angeles Times, that challenges artists, critics and patrons.
Final Stages

The Sunday New York Times publishes Goldstein's reflections on the need to revitalize the economic basis of the Broadway Theater.

Up Close & Personal

An in depth and personal interview with Goldstein.

(Goldstein conducts On The Path, in Krakow Poland) (Goldstein shares his insights)

Passionate About Theater

....Freedom's inspiring triumph over prejudice and bigotry. An American story that reminds us that "Freedom isn't free"

......See excerpts from Haven, find more on YouTube

And The Cinema

The Walt Disney remake of

The Miracle Worker

.........William Goldstein's music accompanies the plot elegantly........

(Goldstein recording The Miracle Worker score with director Nadia Tass)

An Inner Voice, movement for Cello and Orchestra Danielle Steele's Zoya Composer plays Himself

created for the Miracle Worker

Creation of

ABC TV's Millennium Theme

promoting ABC's innovative WorldWide 2000 Millennium coverage Click here for the MP3 recording

( Mr. Goldstein also created the ABC BICENTENNIAL Theme) in 1976

First Impressions and Instant Composition

FIRST IMPRESSIONS emotionally connective impromptus of life / NEW GOLD MUSIC

Since its release in March 1999, Mr. Goldstein's long awaited solo piano CD, is receiving airplay on classical, new age and crossover radio stations around the country.

Hear A Paris Thing, an MP3 excerpt from the First Impressions CD Hear Daydreams, an MP3 excerpt from the First Impressions CD

We'll Be Alright!

Is a timeless and inspirational reminder that we need always remain positive in the most difficult times. It is also a tribute to the victims of 9/11 and reminds us that there has always been a price to be paid to insure that our values endure (Click on the title to see and hear)

Check out these Video and Sound Files.

See a Movie excerpt from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

Goldstein & Technology

Entertainment Tonight & The Los Angeles Times.........

Check out these Links:

NPR Here & Now Interview with Robin Young and William Goldstein

Visit Classic Motown and find William Goldstein

The most all encompassing High School summer arts program in the world! CSSSA

My Favorite sequencing software is Cakewalk

For Audio & Video Production, For making CD's & DVD's I love Magix Media Software

For safety and security I use ACRONIS for all Backups and Disk Migration

For Striking Fine Art Photography, Please Visit The Work Of James Bo Insogna

For the rental or purchase of my concert scores go to Edition Peters

Site updated Juky 23, 2023