Gary Kirkpatrick

Gary Kirkpatrick is an American Concert Pianist hailing from Junction City, Kansas. He is the recipient of the Top Prize in the International Piano Competition in Jaen, Spain and the Stepenov Piano Competition. He made his New York City debut at Carnegie Recital Hall. He has maintained an active career as soloist, chamber musician and teacher. He has performed in more than 40 countries, from Italy to Germany, Panama to Pakistan, and has recently given the world premier of John Link's Piano Concerto, premiered by The Wayne Chamber Orchestra.

Kirkpatrick was a member in the award winning Vehrder Trio, composed of a rare violin, clarinet and piano.^[1] The ensemble commissioned over 100 pieces, including five triple concertos, by such composers as Alan Hovhannes, Gunther Schuller, Ned Rorem and many others. They have recorded over 15 installments in the Making of a Medium CD Series.

Recently, Kirkpatrick has been a member of The Halcyon Trio, a trio for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano.^[2] The instrumentation of this ensemble was invented by Mozart in his Piano Trio K. 498 for the same instrumentation known as Kegelstadt. Lalo Schiffrin, notable movie composer, and composer of the Mission Impossible Theme, was commissioned to compose a Triple Concerto for the Halcyon Trio, which was premiered at The New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra conducted by Anne Mason.

Mr. Kirkpatrick is professor of music at William Paterson University, where he has taught for over 25 years. He is in demand as a well-sought after teacher and is regarded as a "hidden treasure" amongst piano teachers in America. Due to his excellence in teaching, he received The Dean's Award for Excellent Artistic Achievement in 1995.

Kirkparick received his Bachelor of Music at Eastman and the Artist's Diploma from the Academy of Music in Vienna.

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