Clayton Stephenson’s “natural charisma” debuts at Portland Piano International with recitals in Portland & Beaverton, November 3 & 5
Portland, OR – Portland Piano International presents American pianist Clayton Stephenson, most recently a finalist in the prestigious Van Cliburn competition last year, in two highly anticipated recitals on November 3rd in Portland and November 5th in Beaverton. Renowned for his "extraordinary narrative and poetic gifts" and performances that are "fresh, incisive, and ‘characterfully’ alive" (Gramophone), Stephenson’s love for music shines through his joyous onstage charisma, expressive power, and natural ease at the piano.
Stephenson’s burgeoning career has already seen him command stages worldwide. Recent and upcoming highlights include performances with the Calgary Philharmonic, Chicago Sinfonietta, and the Fort Worth, Louisville, Lansing, and North Carolina Symphony Orchestras. His recitals have graced prestigious organizations such as the Phillips Collection Concert Series in Washington, D.C., Fondation Louis Vuitton Auditorium in Paris, Bad Kissinger Sommer Festival, BeethovenFest in Germany, Ravinia Festival, and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. He has also been featured on NPR, WUOL, and WQXR, and appeared in the “GRAMMY® Salute to Classical Music” Concert at Carnegie’s Stern Auditorium.
New York City native Clayton Stephenson discovered his passion for music early on, starting piano lessons at age seven. Within a year, he was accepted into the Juilliard Outreach Music Advancement Program for underprivileged children. By age ten, he had advanced to Juilliard’s elite Pre-College program, where he studied under renowned instructors, including Matti Raekallio, Hung-Kuang Chen, and Ernest Barretta.
Currently, Stephenson is enrolled in the Harvard-NEC Dual Degree Program, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in economics at Harvard University and a master’s degree in piano performance at the New England Conservatory under the tutelage of Wha Kyung Byun. His accolades are numerous: he was the first Black finalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022, a 2022 Gilmore Young Artist, a 2017 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and a Young Scholar of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation. He also received a jury discretionary award at the 2015 Cliburn International Junior Piano Competition and Festival.
Clayton Stephenson's programs for Portland Piano International are as follows.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, AT 4 PM
Lincoln Performance Hall, Portland State University
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, AT 7:30 PM
The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, Beaverton
"charisma, metamorphosis, nostalgia"
J.S. BACH arr. FERRUCCIO BUSONI
Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV. 1004
DOMENICO SCARLATTI
Sonata in E Major, K. 380, L. 23
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Sonata No. 30 in E Minor, op. 109
GEORGE GERSHWIN arr. FAZIL SAY
Summertime Variations
ISAAC ALBÉNIZ
Iberia Book 1
HIROMI UEHARA
Green Tea Farm
The Tom and Jerry Show
LOWELL LIEBERMAN
Gargoyles
Tickets and more information
Tickets for Clayton Stephenson's Portland and Beaverton recitals are now available at portlandpiano.org, where other details may be found, including the complete Main Recital Series season and program notes.
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jonathan.eifert@goldsoundmedia.com
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PORTLAND PIANO INTERNATIONAL has presented more than 220 artists in recital and through outreach activities. Some of the greatest pianists in the world of music have played for Portland audiences because of this organization. While pianists have many opportunities to play the concerto repertoire, this is one of only a handful of recital series that remains devoted to the solo piano recital. Portland Piano International is a vital part of Portland's quality cultural life and it has consistently garnered praise from both the local and national media, heralded a "consistently brilliant Piano Recital Series" (Willamette Week) and "one of this city's musical treasures" (The Oregonian).