My travels have taken me to nearly every major continent in the capacities of a recitalist, soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and competitor.
While pursuing advanced studies at Eastman School, culminating with a doctoral degree from Indiana University, I had the privilege being a studio member in some of the most venerable masters of this past century. They included such notable artist teachers as Balint Vazsonyi — the first person in history to play all 32 Beethoven Sonatas in a marathon recital setting in the cities of London, New York and Boston; Michel Block — winner of the Leventritt Competition and Arthur Rubinstein Award in the International Chopin Competition; Rostislav and Luba Dubinsky — founding members of the Borodin Trio; and Leonard Hokanson — main personal accompanist for the German baritone, Hermann Prey.
I received additional coaching/instruction in the masterclasses of Pinchas Zukerman — renowned Israeli-American violinist, violist and conductor; Menahem Pressler — pianist of the Beaux Arts Trio for many decades; György Sebők — worldwide concert soloist and pianist-in-residence at Ernen Music Festival in Switzerland; Sequeria Coast — a protégé of José Vianna da Motta, one of the last pupils of Franz Liszt; and Elizabeth Schwarzkopf — one of the foremost interpreters of art song and Viennese operetta.
On the competition circuit, it was my honor to be a laureate of the Mu Phi Epsilon Competition and The Lorin Hollander Award of The American Prize. Through the special recommendation of Josef Gingold, Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell, I was invited to participate in the Tchaikovsky Competition. I also was a semi-finalist in the Beethoven Klavierwettberwerb and the Pretoria Competition.
Around Christmastime of 1999, I gave a guest performance at the White House by special invitation of President Clinton and in late 2005, I debuted the very first interactive music program to combine internet resources and multi-media at New York’s Lincoln Center. Other interesting highlights of my career have involved live appearances on radio broadcasts of WFMT (Chicago), WQXR (New York), SIRIUS Satellite (New York) and WGBH (Boston).
Besides playing all the major repertory, I consider myself a champion of contemporary works, often premiering them at convention workshops. Jazz and composition continue to be a part of my creative output as well.
I reside in Seattle, Washington, where I teach and perform locally.
Domestic and International Appearances
- Naples Philharmonic - Numerous appearances as guest soloist with conductors Keith Lockhart and Erich Kunzel
- Regular guest appearances over the past 11 years in Naples, FL - Naples Philharmonic Chamber Series
- The White House – State Dinner with the 50 State Governors - Guest soloist and accompanist at the invitation of President William J. Clinton
- Hermann Prey, baritone – Personal accompanist in the U.S. German and American Repertoire
- Norwegian Foreign Ministry – South and North American Tour of Brazil, Argentina, USA, and Canada - Chamber works by contemporary Norwegian composers for flute and piano
- National Theatre, Washington, DC - Guest accompanist, Opera Music Theater International (OMTI)
- Duo Recital at Florida State University (FSU), with Torkil Bye, Principal Flute, Oslo Philharmonic
- Wigmore Hall Debut Recital in London, England
- Slovak Sinfonietta - Several guest artist appearances with conductor, Anthony Armoré
- Temporada Flautistica Internacional - Accompanist for several artists with standard flute repertory in Lima, Peru
- Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Portland, OR - Guest soloist with conductors, Anthony Armoré and John Trudeau
- Filharmonia Sudecka - Guest Conductor, Anthony Armoré - Concerto appearance in Walbrzych, Poland
- Vraza Philharmonic - Guest Conductor, Anthony Armoré - Concerto appearance in Vraza, Bulgaria
- Yaquina Chamber Orchestra - Conductor, Anthony Armoré - Concerto appearances in Newport, OR
- Charlotte Symphony Orchestra - Conductor, Janita Hauk - Concerto appearances in Port Charlotte, FL
- Southeast Horn Convention - Accompanist for Michael Thompson and Eric Ruske at the University of Alabama
- University of Alabama - Performed solo, chamber music and composer symposiums and member of Cadek Trio in Tuscaloosa, AL
Radio
- Chamber performances WQXR-FM / New York, NY and WGBH-FM / Boston, MA
Recordings
- Colors: Music of James Stephenson Premiere of James Stephenson’s Sonata for Trumpet and Piano Recorded at Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts
- Inner Visions, Volume XIV, Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI) Premiere of James Paul Sain’s Dystopia for Alto/Soprano Saxophone and Piano Produced by Capstone Records
- RETURNS: Pacific Northwest Composers from Central Europe Premiere of Klaus Cornell’s Réclère: Metaphor Piano for Piano and Orchestra Recorded by VDE Gallo Records of Switzerland
