MIAMI, Aug. 2, 2010 — Nine-year-old pianist, composer and entertainer Ethan Bortnick makes his PBS concert special debut with ETHAN BORTNICK AND HIS MUSICAL TIME MACHINE, part of PBS special programming in August (check local listings) on PBS stations. Already winning the hearts of crowds across the country with a talent well beyond his years, Bortnick will introduce PBS viewers to his show-stopping piano skills and charming personality, while bringing to life some of music's most well-known classics and biggest hits from every era.
Filmed at the historic El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, ETHAN BORTNICK AND HIS MUSICAL TIME MACHINE puts Bortnick at center stage as he delivers a trip through music's history from classical to pop and many genres in between. Disco queen Gloria Gaynor joins Bortnick for a rendition of her anthem "I Will Survive," while legendary trumpeter Arturo Sandoval accompanies him on the Louis Armstrong classic "What a Wonderful World."
Other performances include the Beatles favorite "Let It Be" and Bortnick's rowdy take on Little Richard's "Good Golly Miss Molly." He also introduces the crowd to some of his original compositions, including "Arctic Jazz," a song that delivers an inspirational message to a jazz swing, and "The PBS Song," which he wrote especially for the network.
Ethan Bortnick made his national television debut on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in May 2007 and has since made appearances on national shows on every major network, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart Show and Yo Gabba Gabba. He has appeared in front of audiences as large as 20,000 people, performing in concerts and televised specials both nationally and internationally.
Through concert and charity events, he has shared the stage with legendary artists such as Elton John, Natalie Cole, Smokey Robinson, Beyonce, Reba McEntire and many more. Bortnick also recently joined some of music's biggest names, including Barbra Streisand, Kanye West and Miley Cyrus, as the youngest member of the all-star lineup that recorded "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" and earned the distinction of being named the youngest musician to be endorsed by premier instrument manufacturer Gibson Guitar/Baldwin Piano.
Beyond his amazing talent as a musician, Bortnick has made a name for himself as one of the world's youngest philanthropists. Through his appearances at benefits and charity galas, he has helped raise millions of dollars for charities around the world, including the Miami Children's Hospital, the Boys & Girls Club, the American Heart Association, the Starkey Hearing Foundation and many others.
In late 2010 and early 2011, Bortnick will take his musical time machine on the road as he treks to more than 30 cities across the country on his first national headlining tour.
CONTACT: Joe Schneider, Rogers & Cowan, 310-854-8140, Email
Website: http://www.ethanbortnick.com
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