Michael's profile
Already known as a pianist of dazzling virtuosity and penetrating musicianship, Michael
Sheppard is also spreading his wings as a composer, arranger and transcriber. Trained by the
legendary Leon Fleisher and the scholarly but passionate Ann Schein at the Peabody
Conservatory, Michael was selected by the American Pianists Association as a Classical Fellow.
This designation led to the recording of his Harmonia Mundi CD of 2007 and in 2014 another
recording will be released by Azica, a Cleveland-based label distributed worldwide by Naxos
Records.
The APA fellowship provided a tour of Southern Asia and the Middle East, done in collaboration
with the US Department of State. During this tour, he performed with numerous national
orchestras, played chamber music with resident ensembles, and played in solo recitals as well as
diplomatic events. He additionally found time to do master classes and conducted informal
presentations in secondary schools and universities.
Back in the US, Mr. Sheppard made his debut at the Kennedy Center and has since performed
standard piano repertoire with numerous orchestras nationwide in addition to recitals, more
master classes, broadcasts and chamber performances as a member of the Monument Trio. He
has returned to Asia, Europe and performed many times as a soloist and chamber musician at
Weill Hall (at Carnegie) as well. Receiver of a Tanglewood Music Center Fellowship and another
from the LaGesse Foundation, Sheppard took a major prize in the National Federation of Music
Clubs National Competition.
As an interpreter of great acclaim of operatic transcriptions and musical theater scores, Michael
Sheppard today stands at a crossroads, spending large amounts of time writing as well as
performing and teaching. He has worked closely with fellow composers John Corigliano,
Christopher Theofanidis, Michael Hersch, Robert Sirota and with the late Nicholas Maw,
demonstrating a deep love of new music. His catalogue of works, numbering in the dozens, is
about to be published and marketed by a new entrepreneurial music publishing company
beginning in the fall of 2012.
Michael Sheppard is a native of Philadelphia and resides in Baltimore where he often enjoys
performing chamber music with Baltimore Symphony Principal cellist Dariusz Skorazewski and
Hong Kong Philharmonic Concertmaster Igor Yuzefovich in the Monument Trio. He is also a
teacher at the Baltimore School for the Arts.
Recently, he has reconnected with old friends and fabulous musicians Gwendolyn Burgett,
Thomas Rosenkranz, and Svetoslav Stoyanov to form a two-piano, two-percussion music group
calling itself "Hammer/Klavier".
Sheppard is also spreading his wings as a composer, arranger and transcriber. Trained by the
legendary Leon Fleisher and the scholarly but passionate Ann Schein at the Peabody
Conservatory, Michael was selected by the American Pianists Association as a Classical Fellow.
This designation led to the recording of his Harmonia Mundi CD of 2007 and in 2014 another
recording will be released by Azica, a Cleveland-based label distributed worldwide by Naxos
Records.
The APA fellowship provided a tour of Southern Asia and the Middle East, done in collaboration
with the US Department of State. During this tour, he performed with numerous national
orchestras, played chamber music with resident ensembles, and played in solo recitals as well as
diplomatic events. He additionally found time to do master classes and conducted informal
presentations in secondary schools and universities.
Back in the US, Mr. Sheppard made his debut at the Kennedy Center and has since performed
standard piano repertoire with numerous orchestras nationwide in addition to recitals, more
master classes, broadcasts and chamber performances as a member of the Monument Trio. He
has returned to Asia, Europe and performed many times as a soloist and chamber musician at
Weill Hall (at Carnegie) as well. Receiver of a Tanglewood Music Center Fellowship and another
from the LaGesse Foundation, Sheppard took a major prize in the National Federation of Music
Clubs National Competition.
As an interpreter of great acclaim of operatic transcriptions and musical theater scores, Michael
Sheppard today stands at a crossroads, spending large amounts of time writing as well as
performing and teaching. He has worked closely with fellow composers John Corigliano,
Christopher Theofanidis, Michael Hersch, Robert Sirota and with the late Nicholas Maw,
demonstrating a deep love of new music. His catalogue of works, numbering in the dozens, is
about to be published and marketed by a new entrepreneurial music publishing company
beginning in the fall of 2012.
Michael Sheppard is a native of Philadelphia and resides in Baltimore where he often enjoys
performing chamber music with Baltimore Symphony Principal cellist Dariusz Skorazewski and
Hong Kong Philharmonic Concertmaster Igor Yuzefovich in the Monument Trio. He is also a
teacher at the Baltimore School for the Arts.
Recently, he has reconnected with old friends and fabulous musicians Gwendolyn Burgett,
Thomas Rosenkranz, and Svetoslav Stoyanov to form a two-piano, two-percussion music group
calling itself "Hammer/Klavier".
You have not yet created a curated collection!