Dear Friends,



This is my first newsletter of 2026. It took me some time to write this year, as a great deal has happened in recent months that affected me deeply. At the end of January, my dear friend Richie Beirach passed away, and I would like to share the tribute I wrote for him here.

This is such a profound and emotional moment for me, saying goodbye to Richie. For thirty years, we shared the stage and the studio—he was my mentor, my musical brother, my colleague, and my dearest friend. From the very first note we played together, it felt as though we had known each other for a lifetime, and that magic never faded.

We traveled the world, weathered tough times, but all of it melted away the moment Richie sat at the piano and began to play. He called me his son, his brother, his father—and in so many ways, I felt all of those roles too. But never, not for a single moment, did I regret the time we spent together: making music, talking about composition, and celebrating life, especially on our shared birthday, May 23rd—1947 and 1967.

Richie Beirach May 23, 1947 - January 26, 2026

Richie was also an extraordinary teacher. I learned how to teach from him, side by side in countless workshops, and I will always be grateful for that gift.

Together with George Mraz, we formed the Trio: Beirach Huebner Mraz. With Randy Brecker and Billy Hart, we played for years at Birdland in New York—those nights were always the highlights of my year. With my brother Veit and Michael Kersting, Richie led his European Quartet. And, of course, as a duo, we performed everywhere.

This photo is from over a year ago, our last time playing together in Mannheim, as part of Sidney Corbet’s New Music series. Richie was still going strong then. His dream was to record with the Sirius Quartet. I’m so sorry, Richie—we’ll have to do that in the next life.

You always said, “Don’t think you have to finish your compositional thought today, because if you don’t, you’ll have something to pick up from, the next day.” So we’ll pick up on this in the next life, my friend. Safe journey, and say hello to George for me.

I will miss you deeply, my brother.

Love, Gregor

Gregor Huebner and Richie Beirach 2025

Life goes on, and I’ve just returned from a wonderful week of concerts and workshops in Munich with my friends Shoko Nagai and Satoshi Takeishi as part of the NHT Trio.

In April, my brother Veit and I released our new duo CD, A Family Affair, which has been met with wonderful reviews. I’m also excited that two new recordings are currently in the works: one with NHT, and another with my quartet featuring Luis Perdomo, Hans Glawischnig, and Nasheet Waits. Both albums are scheduled for release in 2027.

Below you’ll find my upcoming dates, and I hope to see you at some of them.

Viva la musica — live on.
Gregor

NHT Trio – Nagai/Huebner/Takeishi