Richard Steinbach
"Sonorous expressivity, exemplary clarity and insightful sensitivity" (Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno, Bari, Italy)
"a clear, concentrated, extremely intense performance!"
(Noel Lee, Composer/Pianist, Review of Paris Debut Recital)
Since winning the top prize in the 1995 France Piano International Competition in Paris, Richard Steinbach has established himself as an extraordinarily versatile artist whose insightful interpretations of both French and American music have been widely acclaimed. As the festival's grand prizewinner, he performed his solo debut recital at the Salle Cortot in Paris in January, 1996. Since then, Steinbach has performed extensively as both soloist and collaborative artist in concerts throughout the United States, Canada (Toronto), South America (Lima, Peru), France, Italy, New Zealand, and Great Britain. 1998 marked his first performances in Japan and the People's Republic of China where he presented a three-week solo concert tour, including several performances on Japanese Television. In addition to numerous appearances with orchestra and his collaborations with pianist Howard Helvey, Steinbach has collaborated with such prestigious international artists as violinist Charles Castleman, cellist Nathaniel Rosen and flautists Michel Bellavance and Philippa Davies. Since 1994, he has presented concerts of new American music for voice and piano with soprano, Diana Guhin Wooley.
Originally from Colorado, Dr. Steinbach holds degrees in piano performance from the University of Colorado, the Eastman School of Music, and the Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Iowa. Post-doctoral work includes study and master classes with Dominique Merlet, Noel Lee, Roy Howat, Pascal Devoyon, Dorothy Taubman and John Bloomfield. Steinbach has released two solo recordings on the Towerhill label-Richard Steinbach Live and his latest album, Rhapsody in Blue and Other American Favorites. Additionally, along with soprano Diana Guhin Wooley, he has produced a CD of new American works for voice and piano, though love be a day [Innova Records].
Howard Helvey
In frequent demand as a pianist, organist, composer, conductor and speaker, Howard Helvey also serves as organist/choirmaster of historic Calvary Episcopal Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. His compositions have been featured on countless recordings, national network and PBS television broadcasts, and performed in such distinguished concert venues as New York's Carnegie Hall, the White House, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and numerous locations throughout Europe and Asia. In addition, his music has been performed at regional and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association and many other professional music organizations. His choral music has been acclaimed as "engaging" (Choral Journal), "definitive" (Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians), "magical" (The Hymn) and-in response to his occasional inclusion of jazz elements-"fun and certain to be of interest" (The Diapason). Besides his composer relationship since 1992 with Beckenhorst Press, Mr. Helvey's hundreds of compositions and arrangements are published by Oxford University Press, Lawson-Gould, E.C. Schirmer, Hinshaw Music, and Boosey & Hawkes, among other companies. He received awards in 2002, 2003 and 2006 (as first prize winner) from the John Ness Beck Foundation, who annually recognizes outstanding achievement in choral composition.
A Missouri native, Mr. Helvey holds a Bachelor of Music degree in composition from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Master of Music degree in composition and piano performance from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. Designated an undergraduate Chautauqua Scholar, he pursued additional studies in piano at New York's Chautauqua Institution. Mr. Helvey has studied piano with Raymond Herbert, Jan Houser, Richard Morris and Dolores Gadevsky; and his composition teachers have included John Cheetham, Thomas McKenney, Darrell Handel and Frederick Bianchi. As one passionate about effective congregational hymn-singing, Mr. Helvey received additional training in hymn accompanying and organ improvisation from Gerre Hancock.