Baker Artist Portfolios

Dr. Duke Thompson has taken the world of the piano and turned it on its side. Upon receiving the Doctor of Music degree in piano performance from Arizona State University, Duke embarked on a career of solo piano recitals and engagements as guest piano soloist with orchestra. A near-death automobile accident in 2007 left him in a coma with a shattered shoulder, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and severe PTSD. Upon his recovery, he began composing and arranging with a new-found passion. His shows since 2007 include "Oh, What a Piano Can Do!": shows the wide variety of music on a piano (thunder, trains, deep inner thought, happiness); "Dr. Duke as Lincoln": Lincoln's stories told through music (Antietam, Lincoln's son's death in 1862, Lincoln's funeral); "Music for the Inner Self": music from deep within that aims to communicate with those suffering from PTSD, TBI, and other psychological conditions. His five piano solo CDs are: Greatly Gershwin (1998), Lots to Consider (2009), These Hands Rock (2011), Dr. Duke as Lincoln (2014), Santa Duke (2019) represent Duke's multifaceted character as a pianist and a composer. Since March of 2020, Duke has posted more than 100 videos of him playing his varied repertoire from Americana, to the Blues, to Originals, to Classical, to Gershwin, to Classic Rock, etc..  Duke juggles his composing/performing career with his position as Director of Maryland Conservatory of Music (www.musicismagic.com).