Stephen Prutsman

Stephen Prutsman has been described as one of the most innovative musicians of his time. Moving easily from classical, to jazz, to world music styles as a pianist, composer and conductor.

He will present a program called “BACH & FORTH” , using J.S. Bach as a reference point and juxtaposing compositions of his with works by other major classical composers as well as with jazz greats such as Charlie Parker and perhaps an Uzbek folk song in one of his own artful arrangements.

Stephen was a medal winner in the 90’s at the Tchaikowsky and Queen Elizabeth Piano Competitions and has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras. As a composer and arranger he has had a long collaboration with the Kronos Quartet and his compositions have been performed by leading artists such as Leon Fleisher, Dawn Upshaw, Emanuel Ax, the St. Lawrence String Quartet, and Yo Yo Ma. Outside of the classical music world he has collaborated with such diverse personalities as Tom Waits, Joshua Redman, and the progressive rock group YES.

Of Mr. Prutsman’s  2010 performance of the “Bach & Forth” program at Alice Tully Hall, sponsored by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Anthony Tommasini (chief music critic of the New York Times) praised his playing for its “rhythmic freedom, warm colorings and jazzy spontaneity” and noted the audience’s “rapt attention” and the “standing ovation.”

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From 2004-2007 Stephen was Artistic Partner with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, where he conducted concertos from the keyboard, performed in chamber ensembles, conducted works of living composers, developed and arranged collaborations for their Engine 408 series of contemporary and world music, and wrote several new works for the orchestra. From 2009 – 2012 he was the Artistic Director of the Cartagena International Festival of Music, South America’s largest festival of its kind, programming and curating concerts with themes ranging from Mozart celebrations, to eclectic evenings of folk and popular music of the Americas, to hybrid programs fusing art and dance music of multiple musical dimensions.

In the early 90’s he received the Avery Fisher Career Grant.  Since then Stephen has performed the classical concerto repertoire as soloist with many of the world’s leading orchestras and his classical discography includes acclaimed recordings of the Barber and McDowell concerti with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.

Born in Los Angeles, Stephen first began playing the piano by ear at age 3, before moving on to more formal music studies. In his teens and early 20s he was the keyboard player for several art rock groups including Cerberus and Vysion.  He was also during those years a solo jazz pianist playing in many southern California clubs and lounges and was the music arranger for a nationally syndicated televangelist program.  A former student of Aube Tzerko, Leon Fleisher, and Jack Wilson Stephen studied at the University of California at Los Angeles and the Peabody Conservatory of Music.

In the past, his dedication to the creation of new musical environments led him to create music festivals in such far-flung places as the island of Guam and the border town of El Paso, Texas. Passionate about the value of music for all, Stephen is actively promoting music and arts education wherever he visits.  He is involved in several projects whose missions are to create enjoyable artistic or recreational environments for children on the autistic spectrum and their families.

Stephen lives in San Francisco.