American pianist Daniel Blumenthal is known for his versatility and large repertory, whether as a recitalist, accompanist, or soloist. He has made more than 80 recordings and his repertory spans an amazing range of music by such diverse composers as J.S. Bach, Joplin, Busoni, Chopin, Gershwin, Prokofiev, Joseph Marx, Arensky, Schubert, Czerny, and many others. Daniel Blumenthal was born in Landstuhl, Germany, on September 23, 1952. His first music studies came at age 5 in Paris, and throughout his childhood he exhibited unusual keyboard talent. Later on he enrolled at American University in Washington, D.C., then continued studies at the University of Michigan. He received his doctorate degree at the Juilliard School of Music. Blumenthal has indicated that his most important teachers over the years were Charles Crowder, Marian Owen, Charles Fisher, Josef Raieff, Jean Fassina, and Benjamin Kaplan. Probably the most important of this distinguished group is Kaplan, with whom Blumenthal studied in London following graduation from Juilliard. In the early 1980s, Blumenthal won a string of important competitions: the Sydney International Piano Competition and the Leeds International Piano Competition (both in 1981), the Geneva International Music Competition and the Busoni Competition (both 1982), and the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition (1983). Thereafter, Blumenthal quickly rose to international fame and began performing regularly with many of the world's finest orchestras and in some of the most distinguished concert halls, including Carnegie Hall. His recordings soon began appearing, too, and have continued to stream out in varied repertory. He has recorded for numerous labels, including Naxos (Devreese piano concertos), Pavane (Busoni's piano works), and Angel Records (Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue). Blumenthal remained active in the new century, whether as a teacher (at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels), recording artist, or concert performer. In the latter venue, he often favors chamber music collaborations with other well-known artists, as in his February 24, 2006, concert at Carnegie Hall where he played a program of works by Prokofiev, Mozart, and Schubert with violinist Yossif Ivanov.