Roger Wright
Roger Robinson ("Trey") Wright III is a world renowned classical concert pianist and piano teacher. Wright has been a prizewinner in several international competitions, including first prizes in the 1998 Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition and the 2003 San Antonio International Piano Competition. His performances in the 2000 Sydney International Piano Competition led to a debut recording with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
He is also a scrabble player who won the United States National Scrabble Championship in 2004.
Bio
From: https://www.instantencore.com/contributor/bio.aspx?CId=5124730
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"Aristocratic, exhilarating” The Washington Post exclaimed of Roger Wright’s performance at The Phillips Collection “He has a powerful technique and he enjoys reveling in it…a projection of personality that makes interpretation highly individual but illuminates rather than exploits the music. A major pianist...a pianist who can unlock the secrets of the great romantic composers."
These sentiments, echoed by critics and audiences alike, have catapulted Mr. Wright to international renown. By popular demand he has returned to perform with the Glacier Symphony for the acclaimed Mozart Festival in Kalispell and Libby, Montana as well as for the distinguished Classical Encounters Concerts and LA County Museum’s Sundays Live Series. The San Antonio Express-News described last season’s performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Maestro Chosei Komatsu and the San Antonio Symphony as “both elegant and furious.” Other recent engagements include the Calgary Philharmonic, the Las Vegas Philharmonic Connoisseur Series, the 2009 Music Festival of the Hamptons (New York), and performing Beethoven’s “Emperor” with the Mission Chamber Orchestra in San Jose, California.
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Pianist Roger Wright in Concerts
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The Texas-born artist began his piano studies at the age of twelve, making his concerto debut at age eighteen with the Houston Symphony. In 1998 he captured international attention when he won the 24th Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition in New York City, which led to his debut at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall. In 2000 he did it again. Responding to the overwhelming support he received from the audience, radio listeners and critics at the Sydney International Competition, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation released Piano Masterpieces, a CD of his performances at the competition. Music critic, Neville Cohen rated the album as "CD of the Year" (the West Australian, January 2001). His recording of Between Five Bells from this CD earned composer Peter Sculthorpe the Australian Performing Rights Associations (APRA) Award for the Most Performed Contemporary Classical Composition of 2001.
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Mr. Wright has also been the recipient of the Gold Medal as well as the Best Performance of a Romantic Work and Best Performance of a Commissioned Piece at the 2003 San Antonio International Piano Competition. In 1994, he won First Prize in the Ruth Burr Competition and in 2001, he was one of only 32 competitors selected worldwide for participation in the Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
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His performances have been broadcast on ABC, CBS, and NBC San Antonio, ABC Australia, CBC Radio Canada, WFMT-FM Chicago, Texas Public Radio, 105.1 K-Mozart in Los Angeles and WQXR in New York City, recently on David Dubal's celebrated series, Reflections from the Keyboard. A versatile artist, Roger Wright has collaborated with the Brussels Chamber Orchestra, Camerata San Antonio, the Taos Chamber Music Group and twice received the coveted fellowship award at the Aspen Music Festival in 2000 and 2001. Upcoming highlights include performing Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 with Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Costa Rica and solo concerts at Festival Hill at Round Top, Texas, The National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and The Nethercutt Collection and Champagne Concert Series in Los Angeles.
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Roger Wright received his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from the University of Houston and his master’s degree from Rice University. His principal piano instructors include Ruth Tomfohrde, John and Nancy Weems, Abbey Simon, Horatio Guiterrez and John Perry.
