Each year there is a celebration for Piano Day. It falls on the 88th day of each year. In case you don't know the significance of the number 88, it's the amount of keys on a piano keyboard. I have had a love affair, over the past 3 years, with recording real pianos, so once again, I pulled of the front & top panels of an old "Beale" upright, positioned Royer 121 ribbon mics left & right & then set a Nuemann U87 directly in the middle above the hammers. Then I rolled the tape & just improvised this tune. Many people have been feeling meaningless, due to the Covid 19 restrictions & how it has changed our lives. Isolation, lack of socialisation, fear for the future & so on. This tune was born from these initial feelings, but has an optimistic ring to it. Enjoy.

Meaningless

Meaningless #Piano Day 2021

This is a track I have done few years ago but never shared. It's a very old piano composition I recorded few years ago, when i had access to a recording studio. I release it here for #pianoday2021. It includes piano, clarinet, glockenspiel and lot of textures / sounds I recorded. I hope you will enjoy it.

Sweet River

As the pandemic continues to take its toll, so many have died without being able to say goodbye to their loved ones in person, or at all. This track tries to capture the sadness of these lost moment. 

The album art is by Juan Lucena and pictures the barrier that the COVID virus created as it separates grandchildren from their grandparents as they give in to this fatal disease.

Lost Goodbyes #PianoDay 2021

“Come back. Even as a shadow, even as a dream.” ―  Euripides

The sheet music of some of my compositions can be downloaded from my website https://pianoimprovictor.com/
If you like my music – share it with your friends!

Shadow On Your Face - Piano Improvisation

I think the circle is round. Finished the 5th impromptu today. It has the sounds of some of the other impromptus, a strong somewhat difficult rhythm, the flowing and harmonious episode, some nice chords and a bit of a wild theme. Hope you like it and I'm glad to hear your opinion on it. My intention is to upload the 5 impromptus fo spotify and other platforms.

Impromptu 5

An unabashedly classical improvisation about (maybe the last?) sunny days in Odessa. I used some elements of the Ukrainian national anthem

Sunny Day In Odessa

ONCE I  LOVED

11/23/2025

Hemp Belongs Here

Music for a chapter in the upcoming book "Inside The Forbidden Outside", about the years inside prison, most in solitary confinement and how he learns to cop with life and come out whole. I'm recording music for every chapter and also making music videos found at Youtube on the channel - Sonni Quick Piano Improv

Inside The Forbidden Outside

How Do I Find My Way?

Gare d'antan

Serengeti

pianoimprovictor@gmail.com
Victor Birkan resides in Beer Sheva, Israel. In his youth, he obtained a classical musical education in St. Peterburg, Russia. Even then, he showed an interest in piano improvisation, although his teachers did not encourage it too much. Then came a long break… Victor tried different professions – biologist, computer IT. His passion for music did not interrupted, but he only started playing regularly again around 2016, and in 2018 began posting his compositions.
After receiving positive feedbacks on social media, he focused on improvised music. He is deeply convinced that improvisation is not a privilege of jazz, it is the classical piano that finds its way to people's hearts. Victor Birkan never prepares for his recordings. Sitting down at the piano, he has no idea where to start, what will be in the middle and how he will finish. The melody will come from somewhere... He seeks to capture pure emotion and splash it onto the keyboard. Practically does not use computer effects. His listeners often write about the "magic", bewitching influence of his compositions.
Over the past year, Victor’s composition, “Between Night and Day”, has been nominated for Best Solo Piano Single by the ONE WORLD MUSIC RADIO, and some interesting compositions have been created in collaboration with Yellow Roze Records label. Victor is constantly striving to expand his audience.

Shadow On Your Face - Piano Improvisation

PianoimproVictor

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