Marcus Ostermiller performs the third movement from Robert Savage's first Piano Sonata, inspired by the Taconic range of the Appalachian Mountains.  Savage was a devout practitioner of Zen Buddhism who died of complications from AIDS in 1993.  Many of his works reference themes of nature and HIV/AIDS.

Recorded December 2, 2014
James L. Dolan Recording Studio
New York, NY

Piano Sonata No. 1,  "The Taconic," Mvt. III (Robert Savage)

Marcus Ostermiller Performs the second movement of Savage's Dance of Avoidance (1992), composed during the final year of the composer's life.  Savage died of complications from AIDS in 1993, and many of his late compositions address his experience during that period.

Recorded December 10, 2014
Black Box Theater
New York, NY

Dance Of Avoidance, II. Largo (Robert Savage)

Marcus Ostermiller performs Samuel Barber's Nocturne, Op. 33.

Nocturne, Op. 33 (Samuel Barber)

Marcus Ostermiller performs Bach's Three-Part Invention No. 6 in E Major.

Three-Part Invention No. 6 In E Major (J.S. Bach)

Marcus Ostermiller performs J.S. Bach's Three-Part Invention No. 9 in F Minor.

Three-Part Invention No. 9 In F Minor (J.S. Bach)

Marcus Ostermiller performs Frederic Chopin's Mazurka in C-sharp Minor, Op. 6, No. 2.

Mazurka In C-sharp Minor, Op. 6, No. 2 (Frederic Chopin)

Marcus Ostermiller plays "Ondine" from Book II of Claude Debussy's Preludes.

Preludes, Book II:  Ondine (Claude Debussy)

Cellist Anna Litvinenko and pianist Marcus Ostermiller perform Savage's Elegy for cello and piano (1988), which the composer dedicated to cellist Larry Lenske and his late partner, Jake Lowe, who died of complications from AIDS in 1988. Savage also died of AIDS-related causes in 1993, and many of his late compositions address his experience during that period.

Recorded December 10, 2014
Black Box Theater
New York, NY

Elegy for cello and piano (Robert Savage)

The performances of Marcus Ostermiller, lauded as a “contemporary music champion,” have been described as “virtuosic” and “compelling” (Broadway World). Notable public appearances include Hamilton Recital Hall (Denver), the Great Hall at Cooper Union (New York), the Nels-Atkins Museum (Kansas City), Black Box Theatre (New York), Spectrum (New York), the United States Embassy (Vienna), and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall (New York).

Ostermiller holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, as well as a Master of Music and Ph.D. in Music Performance from New York University’s Steinhardt School. He was awarded the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarship to fund all six years of his graduate studies. While at NYU, Ostermiller wrote a doctoral dissertation, "Musical Responses to AIDS: Meaning and Signification in Two Works for Solo Piano by Robert Savage and Kevin Oldham." He specializes in the performance of works by American composers who died of complications from AIDS during the late twentieth century.

An advocate for HIV/AIDS treatment and awareness, Ostermiller has produced, hosted, and performed in benefits for organizations such as the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, New York AIDS Walk, Colorado AIDS Project, Regional AIDS Interfaith Network, Bailey House, and the Joshua Gomes Memorial Scholarship Fund. He also serves on the Community Advisory Board for the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies (CHIBPS), an institute at New York University devoted to HIV-specific behavioral research.

Ostermiller works as a Piano Instructor at the British International School of New York and the Nord Anglia International School of New York.  From 2006-2007, he served as Vice President of the Denver Area Music Teachers Association (MTNA). Now a member of the Executive Board of the Piano Teachers Congress of New York, he serves as Co-Chair of the organization’s annual Honors Program, a youth piano competition that culminates in cash prizes and performances at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall.

Ostermiller is featured on composer Lawrence Axelrod’s 2016 album, "The Heart Revived" (Innova Recordings).

Marcus Ostermiller

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