a sparkling gem of a piece
(Oregon Artswatch on premiere of Mischief Dance for piano and string orchestra)

BIO

Bruce Stark’s music reflects the varied elements of his musical upbringing. He grew up in Lakeside, California where he began with drums and percussion, migrated to jazz piano, and while in college dropped out of the physics program and began formal studies in classical music, going on to complete a masters degree in composition at the Juilliard School. After graduation he moved to Tokyo where he resided for over 20 years making a living as arranger and jazz pianist, all the while producing a collection of works that reveal a compelling musical voice. In 2013 he returned to the U.S. and joined the music faculty of DigiPen Institute of Technology in Redmond, Washington.

From solo piano to chamber and orchestral works, Stark’s music has been performed on the concert stages of four continents and recorded on numerous CDs. His Sonata for Piano was awarded Honorable Mention by the Music Teachers National Association in the Distinguished Composer of the Year competition, and he was winner of the South Texas Brass Symposium Competition for Adagio and Allegro for horn, trombone and piano. Other awards include First Prize in the Composers Guild Contest, Second Prize in the Barlow International Competition, and ASCAP composer awards.

His compositions have been featured in the National Flute Association Convention, American Piano Festival, International Trombone Festival, Canberra International Chamber Music Festival and MasterWorks Festival. Performances have included the Baton Rouge and Lansing symphonies, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Jakarta Symphony, Northwest Symphony Orchestra, Beaverton Symphony, Portland Youth Philharmonic, Rapides Symphony, numerous pianists and other musicians including trombonists Megumi Kanda and Don Lucas who have commissioned and championed multiple new works.