Michael Anderson - Media Mentions & Reviews

The Palm Beach Post May 23, 2004

KID COMPOSER - Wellington teen's songs making noise in music world—Oscar-winning Hamlisch called Anderson's playing "brilliant"

Michael Anderson, a 15-year-old Wellington student, writes original piano music–a romantic blend of New Age, contemporary pop and classical styles–that is attracting the attention of audiences as well as veteran composers and performers.

In just the past three months, two of his teachers have performed his works in concert. And he's winning composition prizes, playing at Sunfest, selling copies of his first solo CD and making plans for another.

Anderson, who has played piano since age 3, is often invited to perform for weddings and community events, and for high profile gigs like this year's Youth Stage appearance at SunFest.

He even played at a local reception for Marvin Hamlisch last year, improvising on the Academy Award-winning composer's hits: The Way We Were, Ice Castles, What I Did for Love. Hamlisch told Anderson's manager that he was "brilliant."

His piano teacher of four years, Lynn University's Roberta Rust, also performed his music on her recent faculty recital, boldly printing his name on a program beside Schubert, Liszt, Gershwin and Debussy–the youngster's favorite. She picked three of his pieces, including a jazzy ballad, Lonely Prelude, and Andersonâ€™s most classical and progressive work to date, the triple-prize-winning Thirteen Plus 4 (2003).

Thirteen won top prizes in the 2004 Music Teachers National Association competition (junior category), for Florida as well as the nine-state Southern Division. It also won the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra's inaugural Central Florida Young Composer's Challenge.

Anderson's turning point came last June, when he started composition lessons with Rust's husband, Philip Evans, who taught at Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music before joining Lynn.

He's already got fans, says Evans; "He's got the talent and an unusual ability to interact with audiences of all kinds, either with his more serious music or the straight pop stuff. (People) love his stuff!"

Sharon_mcdaniel@pbpost.com

The Wellington Observer August 19, 2005

TEEN HOLDS KEYS TO HIS FUTURE

"Watch this lad, someday he will force the world to talk about him." Those were the words Amadeus Mozart used to describe his student, Ludwig von Beethoven. The same can be said for 16-year-old Michael Anderson of Wellington.

"When he plays, it's as though all the noise that fills one's head disappears and the mind and body float to a place of energetic-serenity. His techno music like the composer seems to contradict itself, it relaxes yet energizes those lucky enough to hear the musician perform."

By Lynda DiMatteo Staff Writer

The Wellington Observer January 30, 2004

WELLINGTON STUDENT RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Wellington resident Michael Anderson won the southern division of the Music Teachers National Association Student Composition Competition.

Anderson is a freshman at Wellington Christian School and is currently studying classical piano and composition under Dr. Roberta Rust and Mr. Phillip Evans, both award-winning pianists and faculty members of the Lynn Conservatory of Music.

He will now compete in the national finals in Kansas City, Mo.

PEN & PALETTE April 2007

Boca Raton Branch, National League of American Pen Women

Michael Anderson wins another award

Our 2007 scholarship recipient Michael Anderson won first place in the composition category of the Michael and Madelyn Savarick Music Competition. The annual competition hosted by Florida Atlantic University's department of music is open to musicians age 11-18 in Miami, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin Counties.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel June 19, 2005

TEEN WINS MUSIC COMPETITION

Wellington teen composer Michael Anderson has taken home first-place honors in Florida Atlantic University's Michael & Madelyn Savarick Music Competition, according to the university.

He was invited to appear at the university's TOPS (Teaching Outstanding Performers) Celebration Concert today at 3 pm at FAU's Boca Raton Campus.

The competition awarded cash prizes to 98 people, ages 10 to 28, and totaling $24,250 in the areas of classical music performance and composition. Anderson, 16, won his two-movement sonata, the first sonata he's ever written…

LYNN UNIVERSITY CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC NEWS September 18, 2006

Lynn Student Composer at 17

Lynn University student, Michael Anderson from Wellington, Fl, is a 17-year-old pianist and composer who has already produced two piano composition CDs. His first CD was produced at the age of 12; his second CD at 16.

Anderson was home schooled in order to complete his senior year and receive a high school diploma. He applied to Lynn University last year and was accepted for early admission. Anderson is now enrolled at Lynn University as a full-time student. He is working toward a bachelor's degree in music performance with a specialization in piano in addition to taking composition classes. Lynn piano artist-faculty, Roberta Rust, one of Anderson?s professors said, "Michael is a young, extremely talented pianist and composer."

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel July 9, 2004

GIFT FOR GREATNESS

"The first national competition he ever entered he was already chosen among the Top 5 in the Country."
Phillip Evans - MICHAEL ANDERSON'S MUSIC TEACHER

Michael Anderson sits at the keyboard, brow furrowed, oblivious to what's going on around him as he tickles out a melody.

At 15 the Wellington composer has been in formal composition training for about a year.

He cut his first CD, 88 Keys, at 12 and has won both the Florida and Southern District Music Teachers National Association student competitions.

Maggi Rosenberg, concert and event producer and head of Rhythm Design Productions in Wellington, discovered him at her first Stars of the Future competition three years ago, which he won. Since then, Rosenberg has booked him 15 to 20 times, including performing at a cocktail party for composer Marvin Hamlisch.

"I picked him because I thought he and Marvin Hamlisch have so many similarities, but I also picked him because I see a lot of talent. Michael is a rare jewel," she said.

Evans and his wife, a pianist and professor, have the same opinion of their protégé. "I think he is very gifted. He's a very creative young man with a strong improvisatory talent," said Roberta Rust, a classical piano professor at Lynn, who plays Anderson's music in the same program as Debussy, Liszt, Schubert and Gershwin at performances.

It wasn't until Michael met Evans that his talents came to light. "When he first came to me he couldn't write anything down, he improvised everything," Evans said. Anderson agrees his music has changed since he began studying with Rust and Evans. Thanks to their guidance, he describes his new pieces as "rare, beautiful and heartbreaking and have chords that make people from the classical world say, 'This guy knows his music and his writing.'"

The Wellington Town Crier February 5, 2004

ANDERSON WINNER IN MUSIC COMPETITION

Wellington resident Michael Anderson is the Southern Division winner in the Music Teachers National Association Student Composition Competitions and will advance to the national level of the competitions. The national winner's composition will be performed during a Winners' Concert at the 2004 MTNA National Conference in Kansas City, MO.

Anderson, the son of Rick and Lisa Anderson, is a freshman at Wellington Christian School. He is currently studying classical piano and composition under Dr. Roberta Rust and Mr. Phillip Evans, both award-winning pianists and faculty members of the Lynn Conservatory of Music…