The Gearhart-Owings Duo

Gearhart-Owings in Weill Hall, Sept. 1999
Photo: Chris Lee, 1999

Several new photos available for presenters:
See Bio/Pic Page

The OWINGS-GEARHART DUO continues to delight audiences with the power of their music-making. Formed in 1989, the duo has released two compact discs on Koch International Classics, Quincy Porter: the unpublished manuscripts, and, The Complete Works for Violin and Piano by Robert Casadesus. Both have received several glowing reviews including these comments: "...highest recommendation..." (Fanfare), "...of significant interest and well worth hearing..." (Strad), and "...beautifully made (particularly in these excellent performances) very enjoyable indeed." (American Record Guide). The duo has been heard often on NPR, including live performances broadcast on Chicago"s WFMT and the nationally syndicated program Performance Today. On October 26, 2003, the duo performed on the Mid-America series in in Weill Rectial Hall at Carnegie, their 6th appearance there since 1998.

Three recent reviews:

"Gearhart and Owings have been performing together since 1989. On the basis of what I am hearing here, violinist Fritz Gearhart is a treasure whose value the wider public has yet to discover. His clear, communicative tone conveys Casadesus's shades of light and darkness, and his temperament doesn't shortchange the music's emotions...John Owings plays brightly and is up to the technical challenges that Casadesus set. Together, Gearhart and Owings have a true musical partnership. One needs no lesswhen playing the violin works of a master pianist!...this CD, so musically satisfying, is an audiophile treat as well. This gets an enthusiastic thumbs up from me."

Fanfare, January/February 2002

"Fritz Gearhart's warm, almost viola-like sonority, rock-solid technical prowess, and unquestionable sympathy for these scores is seconded by John Owings' supple and authoritative piano work...Violin fans looking to explore the instrument's lesser-known repertoire will do well acquiring this beautifully engineered release.Artistic Quality=10, Sound Quality=10."

Classics Today, October, 2001

"Violinist Fritz Gearhart...plays with lovely tone and lots of pizzazz, ably partnered in the very demanding piano parts by John Owings. Koch's sonic are bright, clear, and realistic...[the music] is beautifully made (particularly in these excellent performances) very enjoyable indeed."

American Record Guide, November/December, 2001

Currently available discs featuring Gearhart/Owings:

Click on disc covers to read more information about each disc.

Short Individual Bios:

Fritz Gearhart, violin

An accomplished performer and recording artist, Fritz Gearhart has been heard in major halls around the country, including Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Recital Hall, the 92nd Street Y, as well as the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center. Three compact discs featuring Mr. Gearhart were released in 1996 on the Koch International, Centaur and Albany labels. His 1998 Koch release (Quincy Porter: the unpublished manuscripts) has also received several glowing reviews. In 1999 a live performance of this material was featured on NPR's Performance Today. His chamber music background includes several years as first violinist of the Chester String Quartet. In September 1999 he made his third consecutive appearance on the Mid-America concert series in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie with pianist John Owings. Mr. Gearhart is currently on the faculty of the University of Oregon School of Music and a member of the Oregon String Quartet.

John Owings, piano

John Owings consistently wins enthusiastic praise from audiences and critics for his exciting pianism and sensitive artistry. "Real spiritual elation" was how the London Daily Telegraph described his playing of the Elliott Carter Sonata and the Houston Post, reviewing his performance of the Ravel G Major Concerto, said, "the audience was spellbound." Gold Medallist of the 1975 Robert Casadesus International Piano Competition, Mr. Owings has performed in recitals and with orchestras in major cities throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, and the Far East. His CD recordings on the Koch International Classics label have received outstanding reviews. Currently on the faculty of Texas Christian University, he received in 1993 that institutions highest honor the Chancellors Award in recognition of his performances of the 32 Beethoven Piano Sonatas, a cycle he has performed on several occasions.

To contact John Owings via e mail: j.owings@tcu.edu
Or visit John's website: www.johnowings.com

Full length individual bios:

Violinist FRITZ GEARHART has performed for audiences from coast to coast. January 2002 marked his fifth appearance in Carnegie Recital Hall since 1998. Several compact discs featuring Mr. Gearhart have been released in the last few years to rave reviews. A recent sampling from the press: "...a sizzling performance..."(The Wall Street Journal), "...supple and imaginative..."(The New York Times), "...a superlative evening of musicmaking..."(New York Concert Review),"Gearhart is a bold assertive player... a powerful exponent..." (Strad), and "...a magnificent young violinist..." (American Record Guide). Mr. Gearhart has been heard frequently on National Public Radio including several live broadcast performances, one of which was featured on the nationally syndicated program Performance Today.

Exploring unique and seldom-heard music, Mr. Gearhart has championed the music of American composer Quincy Porter with his 1998 release on Koch International and recently the 2001 release of The Complete Works for Violin by Robert Casadesus (also on Koch), features wonderful yet unknown works by this French pianist/composer. In January of 2002, Gearhart premiered a work written especially for him by award-winning American composer David Crumb.

In the early 90's, Gearhart was a member of the Chester String Quartet which performed extensively throughout the United States. He continues to be very active in chamber music and is now a member of the Oregon Quartet, which has performed for the nationally acclaimed Oregon Bach Festival and is featured in Gearhart's latest Koch CD, released in April 2002. In January 2001 Gearhart appeared as soloist with the Oregon Festival of American Music performing Bernstein's Serenade: "...[Gearhart] gave a stunning performance...he was in full command of Bernstein's elaborate solo part..." (Eugene Register-Guard). Mr. Gearhart is currently on the faculty of the University of Oregon School of Music.

Pianist JOHN OWINGS consistently wins enthusiastic praise from audiences and critics for his exciting pianism and sensitive artistry. "Real spiritual elation" was how the London Daily Telegraph described his playing of the Elliott Carter Piano Sonata. The Cleveland Plain Dealer called his playing a "fine blend of technical brilliance with expressivity," and the Houston Post, reviewing his performance of the Ravel G Major Concerto, said, "the audience was spellbound."

Since making his orchestral debut with the San Antonio Symphony at the age of 15, Mr. Owings has appeared as soloist with the symphony orchestras of Cleveland, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Fort Worth, Houston, the Boston Pops, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestras of Colombia and Peru. He has performed recitals in major cities in the United States, Latin America, Europe and the Far East and has been a guest artist at numerous music festivals. His compact disc recording on the Koch label - The American Piano - containing the piano sonatas of Barber, Copland and Carter, has received favorable critical acclaim. Also on Koch are his two CDs with violinist Fritz Gearhart: The Unpublished Manuscripts of Quincy Porter, and The Complete Works for Violin by Robert Casadesus. Writing in New York Concert Review, Harris Goldsmith called the Owings/Gearhart Duo's all-Grieg recital in Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall "a superlative evening of musicmaking - a real pleasure!"

The recipient of many prestigious awards and prizes, Mr. Owings won first prize in the 1975 Robert Casadesus International Piano Competition in Cleveland, the 1968 London Liszt Society Competition and the Musical Arts Competition in Chicago in 1980. He has served on the juries for major international competitions including the Casadesus, the Gina Bachauer, and the Beethoven in Vienna.

Following his early musical training in his native Texas, John Owings studied at the Royal College of Music in London as a Fulbright Scholar. Later, his studies took him to Switzerland, Italy and The Juilliard School, where he received his Master's Degree. His teachers have included Dalies Frantz, Rosina Lhevinne, Martin Canin, Karl Leifheit, Geza Anda and Wilhelm Kempff.

Since 1990 John Owings has been a member of the faculty of Texas Christian University where he holds the Herndon Professorship of Music. In 1993, the University conferred upon him its highest award, the Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity, for his performances of the 32 Beethoven Sonatas. A CD with six of the sonatas from these live performances is available.