In Gideon Levine 26’s first memory, he is sitting at a small, electronic keyboard, ten years ago, struggling to learn “Mary Had a Little Lamb” after his first piano lesson.
“I got it eventually,” Levine said. “I remember the first lesson…It was just sort of an introduction, and I remember feeling extremely attached to [my teacher] from the start.”
Levine now studies with Réne Lecuona, Professor of Piano at the University of Iowa. Last year, as a sophomore, he won the Iowa Music Teachers’ Association Piano Auditions at the highest level.
Levine’s virtuosity is the result of discipline and focus. “I’ve always made [piano] a priority in my life. Like when I’m planning out my day or my week, I always know where I’m [going to] do piano and where I’m gonna do academics, so I’ve really been able to create a good balance in between the two where I’m able to get both done at a pretty consistent level,” Levine said.
Pianists are not included in the conventional orchestra or band structures. For that reason, Levine’s musical journey has been an individual pursuit.
“If I were an orchestral musician, I’d at least be in orchestra at school and share that with other people, but that absence of piano in most school musical ensembles–except pit or combo or something like that–I think it does separate me, [and] because it’s a solo instrument, for the most part. I obviously play concertos and [pieces with more than solo piano], but other instruments, at the very least, have an accompanist most of the time, or they’re in a larger group. So I wouldn’t say I feel lonely as a pianist, but I do feel more solitary,” Levine said.
Levine practices piano for two to three hours every day. He is inspired, in his work, by the many great pianists who have made recordings of his favorite pieces.
“The main reason I really want to improve and get better is not so that I can make [lots of] money playing tours and stuff; it’s because I want to play all the music that I listen to and that I have loved for years. That is my main goal, and I want to be able to do that for my whole life,” Levine said.
He became especially dedicated after the pandemic, when he began playing more advanced music.“[That was when] I realized, like, wow, [piano] is something that I can play, and through discovering this more complex music that I was playing, I started listening to more classical music and the whole world opened up and I was interested in everything and wanted to play everything,” Levine said.
Right now, Levine is working on the Chopin Ballade No. 2 in F Major Op. 38, Bach Overture from Partita No. 4 in D Major, BWV 828, and Grieg Concerto in A minor Op. 16, in addition to the typical technical repertoire of scales and etudes.
At City High, Levine is an active member of Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble as a saxophonist.
“Most people think of me as a saxophone player, because that’s what they see me play in school. But piano really is my main passion, my main thing that I do, and I dedicate a ton of time to it. I’m at a much higher level on piano than saxophone, so the possibilities with piano seem, like, a lot more than with saxophone,” Levine said.
He also plays tennis, and used to be a member of Show Choir, but stepped away from participation in order to spend more time practicing piano.
“I think I would probably play more sports if I weren’t as dedicated to piano. . . To be in those groups would be fun, but I’m not sad about having to dedicate time to piano because it is what I want to do, what I choose to do. It’s not an obligation for me to practice three hours a day; I do it myself,” Levine said.
This past year, he founded an organization, MIC, that provides opportunities for younger musicians to perform.
“What we do is we try to organize performance opportunities or concert opportunities for people who apply, so usually they’re City High students, so we let them sort of get out there and let them get performance opportunities and then profits go to local charities, local causes around Iowa City.
Levine has other interests besides music: psychology, history, and literature. He is preparing for college auditions and applications next year. He is looking to do a double-major or dual-degree program that would allow him to pursue both music and academics.
“I’m a musician because playing music gives me something that I don’t get from other things. It challenges me on an academic level and a physical level, but the result is something that I love so much. Hearing my music come together is the most satisfying thing that I experience. So it’s just that satisfaction with completing something or feeling like you really do something well that makes me really keep doing it,” Levine said.
