Listen to our performers:
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Quinn Vance performing the 3rd Movement of Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F for the Aria Concert Series at American River College.
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Reason & Bietz perfoming Matteo Sommacal's Fibonacci's Piranhas, No. 5.
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Sterling Cozza Trio performing Another Blues.
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Philip Howard performing Thank You, Yes!
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Philip HowardAn award winning composer and pianist, Philip Howard is the founder of Sacramento Piano Day. With a background in writing music for film - Philip graduated with the highest honors in Film Scoring from Berklee College of Music - he loves exploring and expressing the spaces in-between, taking listeners on a journey to familiar memories and new experiences. His debut album "Connected" was awarded a silver medal for outstanding achievement by the Global Music Awards. A firm believer in the benefits and importance of music education, Philip is proud to teach piano at the Natomas School of Music, in addition to his private studio.
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Reason & BietzStirring and remarkable as individual performers, together Jennifer Reason and Melanie Bietz embody the concept of the Whole is larger than the Sum of the Parts.
Jennifer Reason gave her first solo recital at the age of 5, and had acquired her first Staff Pianist position by the tender age of 12. She has since gone on to appear in solo and ensemble performances across Europe, the United States and Canada. When not performing or teaching, you can hear her on Capitol Public Radio as the Midday Classical Host, 88.9FM. Melanie Bietz started playing the piano very young, learning with her mother. She went on to study piano at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and earned a Masters degree in piano from CSUS under the tutelage of Richard Cionco and Lorna Peters. She has an active teaching and performing schedule across our region. |
Sterling Cozza TrioSacramento native Sterling Cozza returns to SacPianoDay, this time with his trio. Sterling has been playing piano since he was 5 years of age, and began studying jazz music at age 12. Through his formative years at the Rio Americano High School, private studies with Joseph Gilman, to undergraduate work at The Eastman School of Music, he earned many accolades and honors including participating in the SFJazz High School All Stars program, performing at events such as the Essentially Ellington Festival at Lincoln Center, the Charles Mingus Festival at the Manhattan School of Music, the Monterey Jazz Festival, and the honor of taking part in a tour of Japan with the Eastman Jazz Sextet, culminating in a performance at the Tokyo Jazz Festival in 2017. That same year, he released his first album entitled “Letters Home.” He recently celebrated the release of "The Lockdown Sessions," a full-length solo piano album featuring selections from his solo piano livestreams. Sterling has shared the stage with the likes of Gary Bartz, Donny McCaslin, Matt Wilson, Stefon Harris, Eddie Gomez, the Charles Mingus Big Band, members of the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and more. He currently lives and works in Manhattan, NYC, where he recently completed a master's degree at the Manhattan School of Music. This year he looks forward to continuing to grow and connect with other talented artists in the New York music scene. Sterling will be joined by Rick Lotter on drums and Andrew Mell on bass.
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Quinn VanceQuinn Vance - Piano, is a second semester music major at American River College, studying under Dr. Natsuki Fukasawa, Steinway Artist, since October 2021. He began playing piano at the age of 4, first being taught at the historical Victorian Pease Conservatory of Music in Sacramento, CA under Ms. Margie Curler. Although Quinn enjoys a variety of music genres, his passion is classical piano. Some of his notable achievements include reaching third place at the 2023 Ruby Holland Foundation's International Music Competition; being awarded a private masterclass with concert pianist and composer, Frederic Voorn, from Amsterdam, Netherlands; being awarded a scholarship by the American Guild of Organists which provided him with a year of organ lessons under Dr. Ryan Enright; being hailed as one of the winners of the 2024 American River College Concerto Aria competition; and being selected as a scholarship winner by the prestigious Sacramento Saturday Club. Quinn has an eclectic array of personal interests which includes composing music, cooking, bread making, and painting. Quinn plans to pursue a bachelor's degree in piano performance at California State University, Sacramento. He aspires to be a classical piano performer and teacher. His long-term goal is to pass on his love of classical piano to the next generation while being a lifelong learner himself. |