Sunday, February 21, 2016
Billboard #1 artist Dr. Josh Wright has delighted audiences across the United States and in Europe. The Washington Post described him as a pianist possessing “rarer gifts – touch, intelligence and the ability to surprise.” He performed his debut recitals at Carnegie Hall (Zankel Hall) and the Kennedy Center (Terrace Theater) in 2014. His self-titled album “Josh Wright” topped the Billboard Classical Traditional chart just three weeks after its release in April 2011. He also performed at Dolby Theater in Los Angeles as part of America’s Got Talent Season 9. Josh earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan. He earned a Master of Music degree and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Utah. His principal teachers are Dr. Logan Skelton and Dr. Susan Duehlmeier. Josh is married to Dr. Lindsey Wright, who earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Utah.
Josh was a prizewinner at the 2015 National Chopin Competition, and also won the Mazurka prize. He won third prize and the audience prize at the 2014 Washington International Piano Competition, first prize at the 2013 Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition, first prize at the 2013 Rosamond P. Haeberle Piano Award competition, the gold medal at the 2010 Seattle International Piano Competition, and first prize at the 2010 American Protége International Competition of Romantic Music. He was the second prize winner of the 2011 Music Teachers National Association National Competition. He was also a top prizewinner in the New York Piano Competition, the Louisiana International Piano Competition, and the Julia Crane International Piano Competition.
Josh has appeared numerous times with symphony orchestras including: the Utah Symphony, the Temple Square Orchestra, the Salt Lake Symphony, the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra, the SummerArts Orchestra, and the University of Utah Student Chamber Orchestra.
He has released five albums, including My Favorite Things (2013), Josh Wright (2011), Gaspard (2010), The Complete Chopin Etudes (2003), and Josh Wright Debut (2000).
Josh has participated in lessons and master classes and lessons with numerous concert pianists, including Sergei Babayan, Boris Slutsky, Leon Fleisher, Menahem Pressler, Garrick Ohlsson, John Perry, Nelita True, Paul Schenly, Ian Hobson and Awadagin Pratt.
In addition to performing, Josh is passionate about teaching. He has appeared as a guest lecturer and masterclass presenter at several festivals and colleges, including the Amalfi Coast Music Festival (Amalfi, Italy), University of Utah International Keyboard Institute (Salt Lake City, UT), Utah Valley University Piano Festival (Provo, UT), BYU-Idaho (Rexburg, ID), Snow College (Ephraim, UT), and Shoreline Community College (Seattle, WA). He has broadened his studio through online lessons where he teaches lessons to students on five different continents. He has created a free online piano instructional series to assist piano students of all ages and abilities with various aspects of technique and musicality. This can be found on his YouTube channel at youtube.com/joshwrightpiano.
