{{short description|American classical pianist and composer (born 1958)}} {{Distinguish|Richard Castle}} {{Infobox person | name = Richard Kastle | image = Richard Kastle.jpeg.jpg | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|12|15}} | birth_place = Palm Beach, Florida | other_names = | known_for = | occupation = Pianist and composer }} '''Richard Kastle''' (born December 15, 1958) is an American classical pianist and composer.
==Life and career== Kastle was born in Palm Beach, Florida, and began playing piano at age eight in 1966, learning to play by ear.<ref name=jeans /> "He's a musical genius." said his former piano teacher. "I remember he walked In and played the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2<ref name=jeans /> by Franz Liszt after hearing it on the ''Tom and Jerry'' cartoon," she said. "Back then, he couldn't even read music."<ref name=jeans /><ref>{{cite news |first= Yvette |last= Ousley |title=Rhapsody in Purple |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB345CCA59836DE&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM <!--http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB345CCA59836DE&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM -->|work=Miami Herald|date=February 13, 1992 |accessdate=March 9, 2009}}</ref> Kastle studied with Ivan Davis.<ref name=longhair /> He began composing piano concertos as a teenager while studying with Davis.<ref name=longhair /> He continued his studies as a piano major at the University of North Texas, where he was expelled for calling in sick on his final recital.<ref name=longhair /> An official at the music department recalled Kastle, but said that neither he nor anyone else could remember enough about the case to comment.<ref name=longhair /> Kastle said that it was his refusal to dress formally for concerts that ultimately got him expelled from the music department.<ref name=jeans /><ref name=mh /> He later made monthly performances at clubs in Venice and Santa Monica, California where he built a following of young, often college-age, listeners.<ref name=jeans />
==Performance and recording career== Kastle made his network television debut in 1989 on CBS's ''The Pat Sajak Show'',<ref name=jeans /><ref name=richardkastle>{{cite web |url=http://www.richardkastle.com/Bio.html |title=Richard Kastle|work=richardkastle |accessdate=March 16, 2009}}</ref> after an appearance on Canadian teen show ''Pilot One''.<ref>{{cite news | first = Greg | last = Quill | title = Teen TV show Pilot One not yet flying high | work = Toronto Star | date = January 20, 1989 | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/470253771.html?dids=470253771:470253771&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+20%2C+1989&author=Greg+Quill+Toronto+Star&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Teen+TV+show+Pilot+One+not+yet+flying+high&pqatl=google | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110604103740/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/470253771.html?dids=470253771:470253771&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+20,+1989&author=Greg+Quill+Toronto+Star&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=Teen+TV+show+Pilot+One+not+yet+flying+high&pqatl=google | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 4, 2011 }}</ref> He signed with Virgin Records in 1991 and released the album ''Streetwise'' in the same year.<ref>{{cite news | first = Scott | last = Duncan | title = Bringing youth to the classics | work = The Dallas Morning News | date = April 1, 1991 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED5620925DA9DE1&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM }}</ref> Kastle's television appearances include a performance and interview on The Joan Rivers Show<ref name=tv /> and NBC's ''The Tonight Show'' with Jay Leno.<ref name=mh>{{cite news |first= Sharony |last= Andrews |title=Hip Composer Opening for Leno |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB345DBCE330633&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |work=Miami Herald |date=February 20, 1992 |accessdate=February 23, 2009}}</ref> Kastle promoted his national tour on the episode that aired July 3, 1991.<ref name=tv>{{cite news | title = TV.com credits | url = http://www.tv.com/richard-kastle/person/153817/appearances.html }}</ref> The tour included solo concerts<ref>{{cite news | title = Out on the town – a synthesis of sounds | work = Los Angeles Daily News | date = March 29, 1991 | url = https://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=%22Richard+Kastle%22&scoring=a&hl=en&um=1&sa=N&start=30 }}</ref> and appearances with comedians George Carlin<ref>{{cite news | first = Lonna | last = Baldwin | title = George Carlin pokes fun at the foibles of the statue quo | work = The Spokesman-Review | date = March 1, 1992 | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R_8RAAAAIBAJ&pg=5795,120403&dq=richard-kastle&hl=en }}</ref> and Jay Leno.<ref>{{cite news | first = Nathan | last = Cobb | title = Nice guys finish first, critics complain that Jay Leno | work = The Boston Globe | date = September 15, 1991 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BG&p_theme=bg&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADDF7EE9688759&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first =Jonh | last = Lannert | title = The new king of late night television | work = Sun-Sentinel | date = February 14, 1992 | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sun_sentinel/access/89579695.html?dids=89579695:89579695&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+14%2C+1992&author=JOHN+LANNERT%2C+Special+to+the+Sun-Sentinel&pub=South+Florida+Sun+-+Sentinel&desc=THE+NEW+KING+OF+LATE+NIGHT+TELEVISION&pqatl=google | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110604103805/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sun_sentinel/access/89579695.html?dids=89579695:89579695&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+14,+1992&author=JOHN+LANNERT,+Special+to+the+Sun-Sentinel&pub=South+Florida+Sun+-+Sentinel&desc=THE+NEW+KING+OF+LATE+NIGHT+TELEVISION&pqatl=google | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 4, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Travel headliners | work = The Fresno Bee | date = September 1, 1991 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=FB&p_theme=fb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAE8551087C473D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM }}</ref> In 1992, he recorded his Piano Concerto No. 5, also known as the Royce Concerto,<ref name=jeans>{{cite news | first = Steve | last = Appleford | title = Spike-Haired Pianist Shows How You Can't Judge an Album by His Jacket | work = Los Angeles Times | date = March 24, 1991 | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61154285.html?dids=61154285:61154285&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS: | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121023111427/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61154285.html?dids=61154285:61154285&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS: | url-status = dead | archive-date = October 23, 2012 }}</ref> with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London.<ref name=mh /> He appeared at Lincoln Center on November 8, 1996, performing his own compositions and works by Chopin and Liszt.<ref>{{cite web|title=In Concert|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NuECAAAAMBAJ&q=richard+kastle&pg=PA121|work=New York|date=November 11, 1996|accessdate=February 9, 2015}}</ref> Titanic Symphony is his third symphony and is based on the sinking of the RMS ''Titanic''.<ref name=longhair>{{cite news | last = Wharton | first = David| title=A Little Longhair Music, With Spikes and Stripes Liszt and Chains: Punked-Out Classical Musician Thrives on Culture Clash | work = Los Angeles Times | date = September 11, 1988 | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59884383.html?dids=59884383:59884383&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Sep+11%2C+1988&author=DAVID+WHARTON&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=A+Little+Longhair+Music%2C+With+Spikes+and+Stripes+Lizst+and+Chains%3A+Punked-Out+Classical+Musician+Thrives+on+Culture+Clash&pqatl=google | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110604103716/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59884383.html?dids=59884383:59884383&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Sep+11,+1988&author=DAVID+WHARTON&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=A+Little+Longhair+Music,+With+Spikes+and+Stripes+Lizst+and+Chains:+Punked-Out+Classical+Musician+Thrives+on+Culture+Clash&pqatl=google | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 4, 2011 }}</ref> He conducted the premieres of his Titanic Symphony and Symphony No. 5 at Lincoln Center on November 6, 1999.<ref name=richardkastle/><ref>{{cite news | title = Clippings File | publisher = New York Public Library for the Performing Arts | accessdate = October 22, 2009 | url = http://catalog.nypl.org/iii/encore/record/C%7CRb16657667%7CSrichard+kastle%7COrightresult;jsessionid=525967316F223AF36F7F471A57E09FA1?lang=eng&suite=pearl}}</ref> Kastle has composed eight piano concertos. In 2003, he played arrangements of Beethoven's sonatas for piano and orchestra and premiered his Piano Concerto No. 8.<ref>{{cite news |title=Music Listings |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/28/arts/music/28MUSI.html?ei=5070&en=58aabb8be0a1b92c&ex=1236574800&pagewanted=all&position= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305235616/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/28/arts/music/28MUSI.html?ei=5070&en=58aabb8be0a1b92c&ex=1236574800&pagewanted=all&position= |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |work=The New York Times |date=September 28, 2003|accessdate=March 8, 2009}}</ref> He performs piano recitals on college campuses.<ref>{{cite news | title = Looks can be deceiving | work = Erie Times-News | date = March 12, 1995 | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ET&p_theme=et&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB92F01563DB9A8&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Concerts | work = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date = October 10, 2001 | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A5oNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4133,6395867&dq=richard-kastle&hl=en }}</ref>
==Awards== In 1976, the mayor of Hialeah proclaimed March 30 in honor of Kastle. At the time, he was a student at Hialeah Miami-Lakes High School who had just competed successfully for a music scholarship.<ref name=richardkastle />
==Albums== *''Streetwise'' *''Royce Concerto''
==References== {{Reflist}} <references responsive />
==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.richardkastle.com}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Classical music}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kastle, Richard}} Category:American male classical pianists Category:American male classical composers Category:20th-century American classical composers Category:20th-century American male composers Category:Virgin Records artists Category:University of North Texas College of Music alumni Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American pianists Category:21st-century American classical pianists Category:21st-century American male pianists Category:20th-century American male pianists