Michael N. Feinstein

Michael N. Feinstein
Name	Michael N. Feinstein
Birth date	1956-11-07
Birth place	Columbus, Ohio
Occupation	Singer, pianist, music archivist, educator
Years active	1970s–present
Known for	Preservation of Great American Songbook

Michael N. Feinstein is an American vocalist, pianist, archivist, and educator known for his advocacy and preservation of the Great American Songbook. He rose to prominence through performances, recordings, and stewardship of collections associated with composers and lyricists such as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and Cole Porter. Feinstein has served as artistic director, curator, and ambassador for institutions and festivals linked to American popular song, collaborating with artists, orchestras, and cultural organizations across the United States and internationally.

Early life and education

Feinstein was born in Columbus, Ohio and raised in Akron, Ohio before moving to Cleveland, Ohio area schools and performing in regional venues. His formative musical influences included recordings and sheet music from publishing houses such as Tin Pan Alley and acquaintances with performers connected to Broadway and Tin Pan Alley songwriters. Early mentors linked him to archival repositories like private collections of Irving Berlin and associates of George Gershwin, and he developed skills in piano performance, arrangement, and music research while studying repertoire associated with Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, and Johnny Mercer.

Career

Feinstein’s career began in the late 1970s and 1980s performing in clubs and cabarets in cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Las Vegas. He became known for curatorial work with estates and archives of composers such as Irving Berlin and Hoagy Carmichael, and for producing concerts and series with organizations like the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, and the Carnegie Hall community. Feinstein has collaborated with conductors and ensembles including Michael Tilson Thomas, Leonard Slatkin, Alan Broadbent, The New York Philharmonic, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He founded the Great American Songbook Foundation and served as artistic director for festivals and venues that featured programs with artists like Diana Krall, Tony Bennett, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, and Sting. His work has connected him with institutions such as Yale University, Rutgers University, Indiana University, and The Juilliard School for masterclasses and residencies.

Repertoire and musical style

Feinstein’s repertoire emphasizes the canon of American popular songwriters: Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Irving Caesar, Oscar Hammerstein II, Johnny Mercer, and Harry Warren. His musical style blends cabaret traditions found in Broadway houses and nightclub circuits with orchestral arrangements used by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, and Tony Bennett. Feinstein is noted for interpretive fidelity to composer manuscripts from archives such as the Library of Congress and private estates, and for arranging standards in collaboration with arrangers including Nelson Riddle’s circle, Johnny Mandel, and Gerry Mulligan. He often programs medleys and thematic concerts referencing works by Jerome Kern and Irving Berlin alongside contemporary interpreters like Kurt Weill and Stephen Sondheim.

Recordings and discography

Feinstein’s discography spans labels and projects dedicated to standards, new arrangements, and composer retrospectives, released on labels that have included Asylum Records, Concord Records, Elektra Records, and independent imprints. Albums showcase material by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn, Arthur Schwartz, Vernon Duke, and Harold Arlen, and feature collaborators such as John Pizzarelli, Chet Baker, Cheyenne Jackson, and orchestras like the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He has produced recordings that serve archival aims similar to projects at the Smithsonian Institution and the American Folklife Center, and his liner notes and session work have led to reissues and compilations alongside anthologies from Columbia Records and historical series curated by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Awards and honors

Feinstein has received recognition from cultural bodies including honors associated with the Cabaret Hall of Fame, invitations to perform at the White House, and awards from arts institutions like the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He has been acknowledged by municipal and state arts commissions in places such as Ohio and California, and received lifetime achievement and preservation awards presented by organizations including the Songwriters Hall of Fame and archival groups connected to the Library of Congress and the Great American Songbook Foundation. His educational appointments and fellowships have been affiliated with universities such as Yale University and arts organizations like the ASCAP Foundation.

Personal life and philanthropy

Feinstein has been active in philanthropy through founding the Great American Songbook Foundation and supporting preservation initiatives at archives and museums such as the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution. He has partnered with cultural nonprofits including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, local arts councils, and health-related charities that host benefit concerts with performers from Broadway and the jazz community, including artists linked to Lincoln Center and the New York City Center. Feinstein has lived and worked between cultural hubs including New York City and Los Angeles, maintains associations with conservatories like The Juilliard School, and continues to serve as an interpreter, curator, and advocate for the legacy of American popular song.

Category:American male singers Category:American pianists Category:1956 births Category:Living people