Dr. Allison Brewster Franzetti

2014 and 2018 Latin Grammy® Nominee for Best Classical Album and 2008 Grammy® Nominee for Best Instrumental Soloist without Orchestra, pianist Allison Brewster Franzetti has received international acclaim from critics and audiences alike for her stunning virtuosity and musicality, both as a soloist and chamber musician.   Her performances include the live Latin Grammy® Awards television broadcast, the Grammy® Awards Classical Music Tribute to Earl Wild and Lang Lang at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.  Solo recital performances include her critically acclaimed debuts at Merkin Hall in New York and the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.  While living in London, she made her recital debut at the prestigious Wigmore Hall in London and participated in concerts with the Songmakers Almanac, and also gave solo and chamber music performances for the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom, the Academy of St. Martin’s in the Fields, St. John’s Square, the Southbank Centre, the British Liszt Society, The Royal Northern College of Music, and tours throughout the UK providing public service concerts at assisted living facilities, prisons, and other locations.  International festivals at which she has performed as soloist and chamber music include the Encontro Internacional de Pianistas de Piracicaba, Brazil, the Aspen Music Festival, the Robert Schumann Festival at the Marcella Sembrich Museum in Lake George, New York, the Campeche Festival in Mexico, the Henley Festival (with performances also in Fontainebleau, France), Teatro Fiesolana, Ameno Blues and InterHarmony International Music Festivals in Italy, Sommermusikwochen in Switzerland, the opening of the VI International Festival of Music at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and festivals in Chaco and Rosario, Argentina, the National Flute Association, the Florida Flute Association where she is the senior pianist, and the International Clarinet Association in Italy and Belgium. She has been a guest artist with the Brooklyn Philharmonic (featured on NBC-TV News), the Long Island Philharmonic, the English Sinfonia, the City of Prague Philharmonic, the Denver Symphony, the Colonial Symphony, the European Women’s Orchestra, the Montclair Orchestra, the New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra, the Adelphi Orchestra, the Veritas Youth Orchestra (for which she serves as an advisor), and the Orquesta ICANA, amongst others.  She has played the world premiere of “Piano Concerto No. 2” by Carlos Franzetti at the Teatro Colon with the Orquesta Filarmonica de Buenos Aires conducted by Javier LoGioia Urbe, commissioned for Dr. Brewster Franzetti as part of their 50th anniversary season, the European premiere with the Janacek Philharmonic conducted by Dennis Burkh, and the US premiere with the Queens Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Constantine Kitsopoulos.  Dr. Brewster Franzetti is the piano soloist on the soundtracks of the American/Argentine film, “Tango Fatal,” the Argentine/French film, “Ronda Nocturna,” the French/Spanish film, “Dans le rouge du couchant,”  and most recently in the independent film, “Cici’s Sonata,” in which she not only performs onscreen as pianist but also recorded all of the piano music and sang on the soundtrack and did character voiceovers.

A prolific recording artist, 2024 projects include the release of “Anything Goes” on Birs Records, the Opera “Gauchito and the Pony” by Carlos Franzetti, and chamber music recordings with saxophonist Paul Cohen, violinist Brennan Sweet, clarinetist Maureen Hurd Hause and flutist Laurel Zucker.  Allison Brewster Franzetti’s latest solo project, “Pianista,” was released on Navona Records in March 2023 and received a Silver Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Global Music Awards.  Another recording released in 2023 is her collaboration with violist Brett Deubner, “Bowed Colors 2,” on Navona Records.  Her extensive recording output continued during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Recordings during this period of time include “Heard Again for the First Time” and “Soprano Summit” with saxophonist Paul Cohen on Parma Records.  Her extensive output continued during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Recordings during this period of time include “Mother Earth” with violist Brett Deubner for Parma Records, “Anything Goes” with Brett Deubner, bass drums and string quartet, “By Request” and “Romances in Blue” with flutists Patty Lazzara and Steve Markoff, the follow-up to their CD, “Timeless.”  Her CD with her husband, composer/conductor/arranger Carlos Franzetti, “Buenos Aires Noir,” was nominated for a Latin Grammy® Award, named “Classical CD of the Month” by Jazz Station and won a Silver Medal from the Global Music Awards for Outstanding Achievement. Their CD, “Luminosa,” was named one of the 25 Best Instrumental Albums of 2017 by Jazz Station.  Naxos Records released a complete boxed set of "Mieczyslaw Weinberg - Complete Piano Works" in January 2015, which include several world premieres.  Her earlier collaborations with saxophonist Paul Cohen include the recordings, “On Common Ground” and “American Landscapes.” 2014 CDs include her Latin Grammy®-Nominated solo recording, "Alma - Piano Music of Argentina," on Amapola Records and "Song of My Nights - The Flute Music of David Maslanka" with flutist Kimberly McCoul Risinger. 2012 and 2013 marked the release of 4 individual CDs dedicated to the complete piano music of Mieczyslaw Weinberg on the new Naxos label, Grand Piano and “Pierrot et Colombine” on Sunnyside Records.  2011 CDs include "Alborada," recorded with composer/pianist Carlos Franzetti and the City of Prague Philharmonic for Amapola Records, and "Quiet City," recorded with saxophonists Christopher Brellochs and Paul Cohen, for Sono Luminus Records.  Other CDs include "Maurice Ravel - Ma Mere L'Oye, Valses nobles et sentimentales and Daphnis et Chloe Suite No. 2" on Amapola Records; “Piano Concerto No. 1 and Symphony No. 2” by Carlos Franzetti on Amapola Records;  the Grammy®-Nominated CD, “20th Century Piano Sonatas,” on the Naxos label; a CD recorded with flutist Kimberly McCoul Risinger, “Sonata Fantasy,” on Albany Records; a double concerto CD, “Reflexiones,” on Amapola Records;  the 2003 Grammy® Award Nominee for Best Classical Crossover Album, “Poeta de Arrabal” on Amapola Records the 2002 Latin Grammy® Award Nominee for Best Tango Album, “Tango Bar,” on Chesky Records, “South American Landscapes” on Premier Recordings, “Scriabin/Ravel/deFalla” on Amapola Records and “The Unknown Piazzolla” on Chesky Records.  Also available on Amapola Records is her world-premiere recording of “Piano Concerto No. 2” by Carlos Franzetti with the Janacek Philharmonic.  She is a featured soloist on the 2001 Latin Grammy® Award Winner, “Tango Fatal” on Amapola Records, “Images Before Dawn – Symphonic Music of Carlos Franzetti” on Premier Recordings, and the 1997 Grammy® Award Winner, “Portraits of Cuba” on Chesky Records.  She has recorded two major works by Roberto Sierra, “El Mensajero de Plata” and “Bayoan,” with the Bronx Arts Ensemble for Newport Classics and Albany Records. She has also recorded Latin American and English chamber music for the Musical Heritage Society. 

An accomplished accompanist and chamber musician, Allison Brewster Franzetti has collaborated with some of the finest performers, composers and directors in the world, including Sir James Galway, John Corigliano, Stephen Paulus, Lowell Liebermann, Melinda Wagner, Paul Moravec, Jennifer Higdon, Aaron Jay Kernis, John Musto, Robert Aldridge, Victoria Bond, David Maslanka, Carlos Franzetti, Herschel Garfein, Amanda Harberg, Paquito D’Rivera, Ruben Blades, Wenzel Fuchs, Benny Goodman, Julius Baker, Ransom Wilson, Eugenia Zukerman, Nestor Torres, Robert White, Mark Morris, and members of major US and international symphony orchestras. 

Dr. Brewster Franzetti is the author of synopses for the book, “101 Opera Librettos,” published by Black Dog & Leventhal in New York.  She writes liner notes for Amapola Records, Chesky Records, Sunnyside Records, Milan Records, and Premier Recordings. 

As composer, Dr. Brewster Franzetti’s compositions are included on the recordings “Poeta de Arrabal” and BMG Kidz.  She has collaborated extensively with librettist/lyricist June Rachelson-Ospa on several projects, notably “The True Colors of Weedle,” “Hyde and Seek,” and “Before the Curtain.” “First Comes Love,” written with Diane Seymour and Amanda George, was presented by Musical Theatre Works in several cities throughout the United States.

Born in New York City, Allison Brewster Franzetti received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School, and a Doctorate in Musical Arts from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.  She has been nominated for 2 Grammy® Awards and 3 Latin Grammy® Awards.  She has won first prizes from the Paderewski Foundation and the Piano Teachers Congress of New York as well as awards from the Kosciuszko Foundation and the Denver Symphony Orchestra. She was the recipient of the Arthur G. Humphrey Memorial Prize, two HEART (History, Education, Arts – Reaching Thousands) Grants from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Starr Foundation and Executive Women of New Jersey.  Dr. Brewster Franzetti was appointed Concert Artist in Piano and Chamber Music at Kean University in 2001 and was elected to the honor society Phi Kappa Phi in 2002.  Kean University bestowed its first Graduate Commencement Performing Artist Award on Dr. Brewster Franzetti in 2003.  She was appointed Part-Time Lecturer at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University in 2010.  Dr. Brewster Franzetti was Director of Chamber Music for Rutgers Community Arts, Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, from 2013-2019.  She joined the faculty of the InterHarmony International Music Festival in 2019, Classical Hugs in 2021 and Encontro Internacional de Pianistas de Piracicaba in 2021.  Dr. Brewster Franzetti has given master classes and lecture-recitals at the New Jersey Music Educators Association, Rutgers University, Temple University, Illinois State University, Manhattan School of Music, Tarleton State University, the Global Music Project, Classical Hugs, and other institutions.  She serves as adjudicator for the New Jersey Music Teachers Association, the New Jersey Music Educators Association, and the National League of Performing Artists, Inc.  Dr. Franzetti also is a member of the Advisory Board of the OAcademy, the educational arm of the Orchestra of the Americas.