Catching Up with Alum Greg Anderson

“I’m struck by the power and timelessness of the From the Top experience. It gives young people so many tools. FTT changed my life. I know it will change future kids’ lives.”

In September 2000, From the Top audiences heard Greg Anderson, an 18-year-old pianist from Lake Elmo, Minnesota, tackle one of Ravel’s most difficult pieces for piano, his Toccata. Today, Greg has an impressive career as a pianist, composer, curator, and filmmaker with a resolute mission to make classical music a powerful and relevant force in society.

Many know him for his sensational piano duo Anderson & Roe with collaborative partner Elizabeth Joy Roe. The pair guest hosted two episodes of From the Top in 2020. This month, Greg returns as co-host on the program, surprising a piano duo from Oregon who have been greatly influenced by Greg’s career and who perform his arrangement of Aram Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance on the program. We caught up with Greg to learn about how From the Top has impacted him over the past 25 years.

FTT: Do you remember what it was like to be on From the Top?

GA: In 2000, being on the radio meant you’ve made it. ‘I’m going to be a pianist now.’ It felt like a really exciting opportunity. For me, it was nothing short of transformational. As an 18-year-old, I hadn’t considered the skills I’d need to succeed as a professional musician beyond practicing. Like being interviewed: FTT staff showed me how to be a great communicator about music and my life. Being recognized on this national radio program showed “the world” what my life was like and why my music-making mattered. That was huge for me!

FTT: How did it feel to prepare for your national radio debut at 18?

GA: In the nights before the performance on From the Top, I remember waking up, just dreaming the music, the fingerings, the notes, the articulations. It was the first time in my life when the music didn’t stop, so it was all day and all night that I was almost claustrophobically existing with this one four-minute long piece…I learned how to pace myself for future projects through the experience of being on the show.

FTT: Do you think From the Top had any impact on your career trajectory?

GA: In these 25 years, I’ve often thought about how FTT prepared me to launch my career: from touring the world as the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo, to composing, making music videos, recording albums, and hosting the Cliburn Competition webcasts.

FTT: What do you think today’s young artists take away from their From the Top experience?

GA: I’m struck by the power and timelessness of the FTT experience. It gives young people so many tools. And a moment for reflection and platforms to share the music with their peers. FTT changed my life. I know it will change future kids’ lives, expose them to a wider world, ignite their passions, and help define their purpose. FTT adds beauty and goodness to the world; we can never have enough of both, and, through music, we can rise above our differences to find common ground.

Listen to Greg and the Hansen and Alexis Duo!