Gillian
Berkowitz
My Bio
An in demand New York pianist and music director, Gillian Berkowitz has performed piano, keyboard, accordion, and vocals in over 50 Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.
Gillian is currently in rehearsals for the upcoming Off-Broadway Premiere of Empire,The Musical. Performances begin 7/1/2024 at New World Stages and tickets can be purchased HERE. She is a substitute pianist at Hamilton and Wicked. Previously, Gillian was the Pianist in The Lehman Trilogy(Director Sam Mendes) at the Nederlander Theatre, as well as onstage pump organist in the acclaimed Broadway play To Kill A Mockingbird (adapted by Aaron Sorkin,directed by Barlett Sher).Past engagements include Music Director for Everyone Comes To Elaine's workshop (Jeff Calhoun director). She also served as Associate Conductor of Avenue Q. Previous credits include Pianist for the British productions of The Lehman Trilogy: both at the Piccadilly Theatre in London's West End and for the US Premiere at The Park Avenue Armory. (www.armoryonpark.org)
Some favorite past shows have included Some Like It Hot, Billy Elliot, Wicked, Head Over Heels, Boy From Oz(Hugh Jackman), How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying(Daniel Radcliffe), Summer, Rocky, A Bronx Tale, Mamma Mia!, School Of Rock, and Jersey Boys.
Gillian has recently had the honor of being the Music Director for MAESTRA'S First Takes. She has music directed scores of new works throughout her career and has been on the creative team at the O’Neil Theatre Conference, NYMF, NAMT, Playwrights Horizons, Human Race Theatre, and Goodspeed. She is a regular contributing music director at 92nd Street Y, NYU’s Musical Theatre Composition program, TACT, and Lincoln Center's Songbook Series, and has served on faculty for Italy's Music Academy International: Trentino Music Festival Per Mezzano Romantica.
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She has partnered with Krug Champagne creating music for Krug Echo tastings in New York. She has also collaborated with Kevin Duda Productions creating a new show for the high seas of Regent Cruise Lines. Recently she was featured in the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra's Duo Pianist Gala as both performer and arranger.
She has been featured as both a soloist and collaborator playing jazz, pop, classical, contemporary, and theatre music in venues across New York City including The Rainbow Room, The Harvard Club, The Union Club, 54 Below, The Harmonie Club, Jazz At Lincoln Center, The Players Club, Green Room 42, Park Avenue Armory, Hunt and Fish Club, Town Hall, The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Birdland, Merkin Hall, City Winery, Le Poisson Rouge, and both the Consulate General of Hungary and the Australian Consulate.
Her two trios: City Swing Trio and The Whitetail Trio perform for corporate and private events across New York and New England. She has also performs with the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra. Gillian has conducted When You’re In Love, the Whole World is Jewish in collaboration with Jason Alexander and music directed productions of Vanishing Point: A New Musical www.vanishingpointthemusical.com/Home.html She composes and performs with The Sheba Ensemble, promoting Jewish music with a unique contemporary twist (www.theshebaensemble.com) and is a pianist for Scarlett Entertainment and Honeydew Artists. Gillian is also an adjunct faculty member at Pace University.
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She holds a double Bachelors of Music in Performance and Music Education from Ithaca College, and a Master of Music degree in Jazz and Commercial Music and Composition from NYU.
