Edward W. Hardy (born January 12, 1992) is an American composer, music director, violinist and violist.[3][4][5] He is known as the composer, co-conceiver, music director, and violinist of the Off-Broadway show The Woodsman[6][7][8] and is the owner of The Black Violin.
Edward W. Hardy | |
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Born | Edward Wellington Hardy, I (1992-01-12) January 12, 1992 (age 30) New York City, U.S. |
Education | SUNY Purchase, B.M.
Aaron Copland School of Music, M.M. University of Northern Colorado, D.A. (currently enrolled)[1] |
Occupation |
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Years active | 2014–present |
Title | founder and artistic director: Omnipresent Music Festival - BIPOC Musicians Festival, artistic advisor and marketing director: Beethoven in the Rockies: Concert Series, co-founder, senior director of operations and artist-entrepreneur in residence: Northern Colorado Center for Arts Entrepreneurship |
Spouse | Nicole Ann Lucero (m. 2020) |
Musical career | |
Background information | |
Genres | Modern, Classical, Romantic, Latin, Pop, Jazz |
Instrument(s) | Violin, Viola |
Musical artist | |
Website | edwardwhardy |
Hardy began studying the violin at the Opus 118 Music School in Harlem, New York at the age of 7, studying under the instruction of Roberta Guaspari, Lynelle Smith, Yonah Zur, and Elizabeth Handman. During this time, Hardy had numerous performances around the New York City area at locations including Avery Fisher Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, FiddleFest at The Apollo Theater, and Carnegie Hall where he shared the stage with Joshua Bell, Regina Carter, John Blake, Mark O'Connor, and Itzhak Perlman. Three years later, Hardy became a student of the Juilliard Music Advancement Program for young musicians.[9] Later, he worked as a freelance concert artist for five years while studying both violin and viola at both Manhattan School of Music and the Bloomingdales School of Music.[10] During the summer months, Hardy attended The Elisabeth Morrow School of Music, Manhattan School of Music Summer Camp, Kinhaven Music School and Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival. In 2012, Hardy also performed in a masterclass by Lawrence Dutton of the Emerson String Quartet.[11]
Hardy then attended Talent Unlimited High School where he played both violin and viola in orchestra and jazz band. He switched between concertmaster and principal violist in the orchestra. In his third year, Hardy was selected to be an intern with the Exploring the Arts' Tony Bennett Apprenticeship Program where he studied under the direction of the Latin Jazz Fusion Sweet Plantain string quartet; Eddie Venegas, Romulo Benavides, Orlando Wells, and David Gotay. In his senior year of high school, Hardy received both the 2010 Patrick Gallagher Performing Arts Award in Instrumental Music Talent Unlimited High School and the Chancellor's Endorsed Diploma for the Arts: The New York City Department of Education - Advanced Designation Through the Arts: Music. In recognition of an advanced level of achievement and the completion of a five-unit sequence of major study in partial fulfillment of the New York State Regents Diploma. After graduation, Hardy returned to Talent Unlimited High School to give private lessons to the violinists and violists later to perform regularly with the quartet. Hardy has become a “stunt violinist and violist of the Sweet Plantain String Quartet. Hardy has performed with Sweet Plantain around the country.[12][13]
He was appointed Principal Violist of the Purchase Symphony Orchestra for three consecutive years. He was a student of Ira Weller of the Met Orchestra. In 2014, Hardy performed in two masterclasses; one led by violist Kim Kashkashian, Carmit Zori and cellist Julia Lichten of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra at the Performing Arts Center’s Recital Hall at Purchase College. Hardy earned his bachelor's degree in Viola Performance with honors from the SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Music.
Hardy found his love for theatre during his first undergraduate year at Purchase College. Although he was in the music conservatory, Hardy spent most of my time performing in plays presented by the acting conservatory. He composed for and performed in several plays, always in costume and on stage. By the end of his undergraduate career, Hardy fell in love with theater and with the idea of composing for theater.[14][15]
Hardy often composed and performed for theatrical performances both on and off the Purchase College campus. He has performed in Three Sisters; Chekhov, Blues for an Alabama Sky; Cleage, Trojan Women; Euripides, Twelfth Night; Shakespeare, Mother Courage and Her Children; Brecht, Beautiful Dreamer; McElwaine/Foster, all under the instruction of his mentor; James (Jim) McElwaine.[16]
In 2015, Hardy was the recipient of the Beatrice Schacher-Myers Scholarship, 2014 and 2015 recipient of the Laurence Rosenfeld Scholarship, and the Chamber Music Live Scholarship from the Aaron Copland School of Music in 2015. He also performed in a masterclass with violinist Ida Kavafian at LeFrak Concert Hall in New York City. He was a student of Daniel Phillips of the Orion String Quartet[17] Hardy earned his Masters of Music degree in Violin Performance with honors from CUNY, Queens College – Aaron Copland School of Music.[18]
Hardy performed with Kygo in the 2016 inaugural edition of The Meadows Music & Arts Festival held at Citi Field in Queens, New York. In Kygo’s last song on stage, Hardy played viola in a string quartet arrangement of his hit song “Firestone (song)” featuring Conrad Sewell.[19]
In 2014, Hardy performed as a guest solo violinist at the Charleston Museum under the button of Maestro Marlon Daniel and performed in the first violin section of The Black Stars of Broadway Concert led by Norm Lewis and Chapman Roberts. Months later Hardy took the stage as concertmaster of the Trilogy Opera Company at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Victoria Theater. From an invitation from Marlon Daniel, Hardy was invited to perform in Ensemble du Monde and made his first appearance with the chamber ensemble in 2015 at Merkin Hall. Later that year, Hardy performed with Roderick Cox as the assistant concertmaster at the Colour of Music Orchestra at Gaillard Center in Charleston. In 2016, Hardy was commissioned to compose and perform a solo violin piece for the Congressional Black Caucus at Howard Theatre which was a private event, sponsored by Google, apart of the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. He composed and performed a piece called “Evolution” and also performed Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer) with the Colour of Music Virtuosi led by Roderick Cox associate conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra. Hardy's solo violin piece "Evolution" made its televised debut on PBS, and on its affiliate stations American Music TV, in California and New York City.[20][21]
In 2021, Hardy moved from Harlem to Greeley in pursuit of a Doctor of Arts degree in violin performance from the University of Northern Colorado. He is a student of Dr. Jubal Fulks.[22]
A Brooklyn Boy is a spoken word performance that portrays Steven Prescod's coming-of-age story. Hardy participated as the co-composer and solo violinist through two years of workshops until its final location at the East Village Playhouse in New York City.[23] A Brooklyn Boy was workshopped in famous venues such as the National Black Theatre of Harlem, the Vineyard Theatre, at the Department of Education in Washington, D. C., The American Museum of Natural History, the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Marriott Marquis.[24]
In Hardy's junior year of 2012–13 at Purchase College, he started and finished composing all the music for the first edition of The Woodsman within two months. As each rendition of play developed and molded into something new the music reflected its transformation.[25] Except for a brief introduction, The Woodsman does not have any words and is unlike any other play. During the first meeting with the playwright, both Hardy and Ortiz examined the synopsis of the play. This was Hardy's opportunity to think of this play like a silent film and tell a story through music.[26] He explored different genres of music to create everything from the sound of nature to the different instruments in an orchestra. The program music plays a significant role in the play.”[27]
Hardy composed “Three Pieces Inspired By Edgar Allan Poe”: Nevermore, Evil Eye[28][29] and A Fantasy were recorded by Grammy award winner John Kilgore, Jonathan Jetter and produced by Jim McElwaine. Nevermore was premiered at Hardy's first one-man sold-out show “Six Violins: A Musical Evening with Edward W. Hardy” at the Cutting Room[30] in NYC which also featured Hardy playing three his violins on WNYW - Fox 5 news.
Sources: Music by Black Composers (MBC, Rachel Barton Pine),[31] Musical Stories.[32]
Year | Title | Role | Venue/ Date(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | The Woodsman | Munchkin/solo violinist | Standard ToyKraft, January 2012 | Also composer, music director, and co-conceiver |
2013 | Standard ToyKraft, January 18–19, 2013 | |||
2013 | Standard ToyKraft, June 13–16, 2013 | |||
2013 | Ars Nova (Off-Broadway), June 18, 2013 | |||
2014 | 59E59 Theaters (Off-Broadway), January 30 - February 16, 2014 | |||
2015 | 59E59 Theaters (Off-Broadway), January 13 - February 22, 2015 | |||
2015 | A Brooklyn Boy | Hooded solo violinist | National Black Theatre, April 30, 2015 & May 13, & 14, 2015 | Also co-composer |
2015 | Vineyard Theatre, June 28, 2015 | |||
2016 | The Woodsman | — | Off-Broadway revival, New World Stages, January 27 – May 29, 2016 | Composer and co-conceiver |
2016 | A Brooklyn Boy | Hooded solo violinist | CAP21 Black Box Theatre, March 3, 2016 | Also co-composer[36] |
2016 | The Pearl Diver | Onstage solo violinist | Hudson Guild Theater Off-off-Broadway, August 29 - September 3, 2016 | Also composer, music director and publisher[37][38] |
2016 | A Brooklyn Boy | Hooded solo violinist | Youth Power: Activism Event, November 4, 2016 | Also co-composer[39] |
2017 | United States Department of Education, January 11, 2017 | |||
2017 | American Museum of Natural History, February 10, 2017 | |||
2017 | America's Promise NYC Event with President Bill Clinton, April 18, 2017 | |||
2017 | Fox Theatre (Atlanta), May 12, 2017 | |||
2017 | Ripley Grier Studios, August 14, 2017 | |||
2017 | Lake of Sorrows | Onstage solo violinist | Hudson Guild Theater Off-off-Broadway, August 22–26, 2017 | Also composer and music director[40] |
2017 | Six Violins: A Musical Evening with Edward W. Hardy | Solo violinist | The Cutting Room, November 11, 2017 | Also composer and arranger (one-man show)[41] |
2017 | A Brooklyn Boy | Hooded solo violinist | East Village Playhouse, December 8, 2017 | Also co-composer |
2018 | A Musical Evening Of Works Composed For The Theatre | Solo violinist/ chamber musician | Turtle Bay Music School: Concert Hall, May 31, 2018 | Also composer and arranger (one-man show)[42][43] |
2018 | A Walk With Mr. Heifetz | Solo violinist | Cherry Lane Theatre, Primary Stages February 17, 2018 | Guest artist[44][45] |
2019 | Artivism831 (Art exhibition by Javon Conaway) | Solo violinist | Faction Art Projects, Gallery 8, New York City, August 31, 2019 | Featured violin soloist[46][47] |
2020 | Valentine's Day in July | Solo violinist | Joe's Pub at the Public Theater, July 30, 2020 | Also composer and arranger (one-man show)[48] |
2020 | Chill on the Hill: Violin Recital with Edward W. Hardy | Solo violinist | Morris–Jumel Mansion, New York City, August 23, 2020 | Also composer and arranger (one-man show)[49] |
2021 | Women of Classical Music (Omnipresent Music Festival) | — | Morris–Jumel Mansion, New York City, August 9, 2021 | Founder, artistic director, and producer[50] |
2021 | Sultry Vibes (Omnipresent Music Festival) | — | Morris–Jumel Mansion, New York City, August 10, 2021 | Founder, artistic director, and producer[51] |
2021 | In My Skin (Omnipresent Music Festival) | First violinist (OMF string quartet) | Morris–Jumel Mansion, New York City, August 11, 2021 | Also founder, artistic director, and producer[52][53][54] |
2021 | Fantasy of Life (Omnipresent Music Festival) | Solo violinist | Morris–Jumel Mansion, New York City, August 12, 2021 | Also founder, artistic director, and producer[55] |
2021 | NYC's Melting Pot (Omnipresent Music Festival) | First violinist | Morris–Jumel Mansion, New York City, August 13, 2021 | Also founder, artistic director, and producer[56] |
2021 | Beethoven in the Rockies: Concert Series (Opening season) | — | University of Northern Colorado (UNC Campus Commons: Performance Hall), Greeley, Colorado, October 10-December 17, 2021 | Artistic advisor and marketer[57][58] |
2022 | An Intimate Affair with Violinist Edward W. Hardy | Solo violinist | Joe's Pub at the Public Theater, February 11, 2022 | Also composer and arranger (one-man show)[59][60] |
2022 | An Intimate Affair with Violinist Edward W. Hardy (Encore) | Solo violinist | Kepner Hall (Milne Auditorium), Greeley, CO, February 14, 2022 | Also composer and arranger (one-man show)[61] |
2022 | Lux Land (Olivia Lux) | Violinist | The Q, New York City, March 15, 2022 | Featured violinist[62] |
2022 | Arts Equity Summit (UNC) | Solo Violinist | University of Northern Colorado (UNC Campus Commons: Performance Hall), Greeley, Colorado, April 1, 2022 | Featured violin soloist[63] |
2022 | The Gathering: A Collective Sonic Ring Shout (American Composers Orchestra) | Section violinist | The Apollo Theater, New York City, May 7, 2022 | First violin section[64] |
2022 | Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra (Debut Concert) | Section violinist | Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage), New York City, June 7, 2022 | Second violin section[65] |
2022 | American Composers Orchestra's 2022 EarShot New Music Readings | Section violinist | DiMenna Center for Classical Music, New York City, June 16-17, 2022 | First violin section[66] |
2022 | Wolf Trap Opera's Lineage: Poems of Margaret Walker | Violinist | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Washington, D.C., July 1, 2022 | Also composer, publisher, and performer[67] |
2022 | Andre Hayward & Friends (2022 Austin Chamber Music Festival) | Violinist | University of Texas at Austin (Bates Recital Hall), Austin, Texas, July 16, 2022 | Also composer and arranger[68][69] |
2022 | Beethoven in the Rockies: Concert Series (second season) | — | University of Northern Colorado (UNC Campus Commons: Performance Hall), Greeley, Colorado, August 19-October 28, 2022 | Artistic advisor and marketer[70] |
2022 | Northern Colorado Center for Arts Entrepreneurship: Day of Art | — | University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, October 14, 2022 | Co-founder, senior director of operations, artist-entrepreneur in residence (marketer & graphic design artist)[71][72][73] |
2022 | Beethoven in the Rockies: UNC Asian Mixed Ensemble | Featured violinist | University of Northern Colorado (UNC Campus Commons: Performance Hall), Greeley, Colorado, October 14, 2022 | Also artistic advisor and marketer[74] |
2022 | UNC presents: Graduate Salon: Edward W. Hardy, violin | Violinist | University of Northern Colorado (UNC Campus Commons: Performance Hall), Greeley, Colorado, October 15, 2022 | Also producer, co-founder, senior director of operations, and artist-entrepreneur in residence (marketer & graphic design artist)[75][76][77] |
2022 | American Composers Orchestra's The Natural Order | Section violinist | Carnegie Hall (Zankel Hall), New York City, October 20, 2022 | First violin section[78] |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | The Woodsman | — | composer, co-conceiver, music editor, soundtrack |
2018 | Nevermore | Himself | executive producer, writer, composer, violinist |
2018 | The Lie | — | musician |
2020 | Shirley | — | musician: 2nd violin |
2020 | Strange Fruit | Himself | executive producer, writer, composer, 1st violin |
2020 | Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048 | Himself | executive producer, music & film editor |
2021 | Enough Is Enough | Himself | street musician, production assistant |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | The Woodsman | — | PBS Theater Close-Up, composer, co-conceiver, music editor, soundtrack |
2017 | American Music featuring Edward W. Hardy - September 2017 | — | American Music TV series, Brooklyn College Television Center, affiliations with PBS and NPR, guest artist interview[79] |
Title | Album details | Notes |
---|---|---|
The Woodsman (Original Off-Broadway Solo Recording) |
|
|
Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
Nevermore | 2018 | Three Pieces Inspired By Edgar Allan Poe |
Evil Eye | ||
A Fantasy | ||
The Lovers Dance (From "the Pearl Diver: A Japanese Legend") | 2018 | Non-album singles |
The Pearl Diver: A Japanese Legend (Ship At Sea) | ||
Rusting Tin Man (Remake) [From “the Woodsman”]") | 2018 | |
Evolution[80] | 2019 | |
Strange Fruit[81] | 2020 | |
In 2013, Gotay was diagnosed with an advanced stage of renal cancer; “the cancer went to his bones, and he was too weak to play the cello,” says Venegas. Gotay laid aside his performing schedule – replaced in performance by cellist Leo Grinhauz and a one-time intern, violist Edward Hardy – while continuing to compose and to engage in less rigorous musical projects.
Kathy Edaakie: Too Attached Sweet Plantain: Orlando Wells, violin; Joe Deninzon, violin; Leo Grinhauz, cello; Edward Hardy, viola
I just have this very incredible, grateful, blessed connection with Jubal. I understand him and he understands me.
Hardy also wrote “Mama, now I can breathe” in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
... “Dream Chaser,” it is a dark comedy that is loosely based on the past two years of my life involving a lonely, broke subway musician, a retired comedian who discovers him, an unpredictable dating app and a love interest.
Another level of sophistication was the integration of violinist - Edward W Hardy. Hardy graced the event with two musical sets in between the bass heavy beats curated by Brooklyn based DJ and producer - Shxlton.
Edward W. Hardy will perform a classical violin recital at Morris-Jumel Mansion's Roger Morris Park on Sunday, August 23, 2020 at 4pm. Program include works by Bach, Wieniawski, Still, Chopin, Saint-Saëns, Piazzolla, Puccini and some of Hardy's original pieces for solo violin.
Members of the Lotus Chamber Music Collective, Tiffany Weiss (violin), Sasha Ono (cello), Carolina Diaz Chan (viola), and Emily Frederick (violin), will be performing a free concert of works by Fanny Mendelssohn, Rhiannon Giddens, Henriettë Bosmans, Florence B. Price, and Jessie Montgomery.
The Morris-Jumel Mansion is pleased to partner with violinist Edward W. Hardy and the musicians of the Omnipresent Music Festival to host this exciting and meaningful new concert series for the New York City community.
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value (help)This show features a funky band consisting of musical director Drew Wutke and musicians Edward W. Hardy (violin), Eliza Salem (Drums), Hajime Yoshida (Guitar), and Samantha Horton (Bass).
The College of Performing and Visual Arts is holding our first-ever Arts Equity Summit... UNC doctoral candidate violinist Edward W. Hardy will perform his original solo violin composition, "Evolution–Inspired by the Evolution of Black Music."
This evening-length program will be anchored by a 70-member orchestra including New York City violinists Kelly Hall-Thompkins (Fiddler on the Roof), Curtis Stewart (Grammy-nominated), Edward W. Hardy (The Woodsman), and a 50-voice choir composed of both professional and amateur singers from multiple African American churches and choral ensembles in New York, including Abyssinian Baptist Church Choir, Broadway Inspirational Voices, Convent Avenue Baptist Church Choir, and Sing Harlem Choir.
The Oxford Philharmonic's American branch, the American Friends of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, will include violinists Gary Kosloski, Edward W. Hardy, and Nikita Morozov, among others.
Wolf Trap Opera has announced the world premiere of BORN FREE, composed by Edward W. Hardy with lyrics by American poet and writer Margaret Walker. BORN FREE, a song cycle based on four poems by Margaret Walker (Sorrow Home, Lineage, The Struggle Staggers Us and Southern Song) for soprano, violin, and piano, is a newly commissioned work by the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.
NOCO Center for Arts Entrepreneurship directors Dr. Sarah Off, Dr. Rand Harmon, and senior director of operations Edward W. Hardy will partner with five community organizations/businesses that will serve as venues for the DAY OF ART functions.
After a beautifully engaging concert by the UNC Asian Ensemble and an exquisite and crowd-pleasing performance of "Tambourin Chinois" by Edward W. Hardy (violin) and Hanguang Wang (piano), Beethoven in the Rockies will have its season concert finale this Friday featuring The Loveland Orchestra.
This multi-genre concert, which follows the DAY OF ART events, is presented by Edward W. Hardy and the UNCO faculty.
The Natural Order includes the New York premiere of Mark Adamo's Last Year, a dystopian reflection on Vivaldi's Four Seasons co-commissioned by ACO for cello soloist Jeffrey Zeigler and the American Composers Orchestra, including ACO musicians Miho Saegusa (Aizuri Quartet), Edward W. Hardy (The Woodsman), Monica Ellis and Brandon Patrick George (Imani Winds).
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