Portfolio
This is a selected portfolio of Toby Koenigsberg’s creative and scholarly projects, including albums he has recorded and books he has written.
Albums
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![Toby Koenigsberg Trio: Drift]()
Toby Koenigsberg Trio: Drift
This piano trio album, released by Ninjazz Records, is focused on the music of the late, indie singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. It includes several Smith compositions, along with related works.
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![Abstract artwork with bold brushstrokes in black, white, orange, and blue. Text overlay indicating it is the album cover for 'Toby Koenigsberg Trio' featuring Tyler Abbott and Jason Palmer, titled 'Sense'.]()
Toby Koenigsberg Trio: Sense
This piano trio album, released by Origin Records, features original works, jazz standards, and jazz classics. It reflects a confluence of somewhat disparate influences, primarily free jazz and the music of bebop jazz pianist Bud Powell.
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![Album cover for the Toby Koenigsberg Trio, Special Guest Rich Perry's recorded live performance, featuring a stylized illustration of train tracks and power lines with a moody sky in the background.]()
Toby Koenigsberg Trio, Special Guest Rich Perry: Push
This live recording features tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, bassist Ike Sturm, and drummer Ted Poor. While all of Koenigsberg’s albums feature original compositions, this one does so more heavily. Self-released, it is available by request. Please reach out for a copy.
Sample Track
“Alphabet Town,” from the album Drift.
Books
Contemporary Songwriting, by Toby Koenigsberg
This introductory songwriting and music production textbook, currently in its revised second edition, has been adopted as a required text at over a dozen institutions of higher education across the United States. It guides those with no music background through the process of composing and producing complete pop songs. It also fills in gaps for those with more experience, ensuring the most solid overall foundation in songwriting and music production. The book is available for purchase or adoption from the following vendors:
Koenigsberg regularly consults with adopting institutions of this text. If you are an instructor or administrator interested in using it, please reach out.
Toby’s Piano Improvisation, Levels 1-5, by Toby Koenigsberg
This is a five-volume beginning piano method for children and adults, but with a twist: instead of the usual reading method that most pianists start with, it’s an improvisation method, in which students learn to improvise jazz, popular music, and even classical music. It works well as a standalone, or as a supplement to a traditional piano method. For a one-sheet on the method, see here.
An online store for these books is currently under construction. In the meantime, if you’d like to purchase one or more volumes, please reach out.
Current Projects
Solo Jazz Piano Album
Koenigsberg is presently working on an album of solo jazz piano music, after years of performing a solo concert series in Japan. Here is an example from one such concert — a jazz classic by Dave Brubeck, “In Your Own Sweet Way.”
Jazz-Pop Album
Koenigsberg has been working with a combination of jazz improvisation and DAW-based music production for years, as evidenced by this live quartet performance of “Lover,” by Taylor Swift. An album release is currently in progress.
Contemporary Songwriting: Third Edition
A third edition of this songwriting and music production textbook is presently being written. Details will be shared as the publication date draws nearer.
Toby’s Piano Improvisation: Digital Edition
An e-book conversion of this print edition piano method is currently in progress, along with a refresh of its artwork, layout, and audio tracks.