John Owings

John Owings is Chair of the Piano Division at Texas Christian University, where he also holds the Herndon Professorship of Music. A native of San Antonio, Mr. Owings received his formal training at the University of Texas, the Royal College of Music in London, and The Juilliard School, where his teachers were Rosina Lhevinne and Martin Canin. His other teachers have included Dalies Frantz, Géza Anda, and Wilhelm Kempff.

Since making his orchestral debut with the San Antonio Symphony at the age of 15, Mr. Owings’ performing career has ranged from solo and chamber music recitals in major cities in the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, to concerto appearances with the symphony orchestras of Cleveland, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Fort Worth, Houston, the Boston Pops, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestras of Colombia and Peru. His critically acclaimed CD recordings include piano music by Robert Casadesus, Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland, Elliott Carter, and Julius Reubke, as well as chamber music by Eric Ewazen, Quincy Porter, and Elena Sokolowski.

A dedicated teacher, Mr. Owings’ students have won national and international competitions and have pursued successful careers as performers and educators. He has been invited to give master classes at conservatories and universities in the United States, England, China, and Japan.

Gold Medalist of the 1975 Robert Casadesus Competition in Cleveland, Mr. Owings was also the winner of the Vianna da Motta Competition in Lisbon, the London Liszt Society Competition, and the Musical Arts Competition in Chicago. He has served on the juries for the Casadesus, Cleveland, Gina Bachauer, Beethoven (Vienna), and Ettlingen international competitions.

An experienced chamber music performer, Mr. Owings has been privileged to collaborate with distinguished musicians, most recently members of the Miró String Quartet, cellist Carlos Prieto, and violinist Nicholas Kitchen of the Borromeo String Quartet. Together with his colleagues, violist Misha Galaganov, and clarinetist Gary Whitman, Mr. Owings performs in the ensemble Trio Con Brio, which has commissioned new works by over a dozen living composers.

In 1993, Texas Christian University conferred upon him its highest honor – the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity – for his performances of the 32 Beethoven Sonatas. Six sonatas from these live performances are available on CD.
www.johnowings.com

Concerts in the USA, the British Isles, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Peru.

Performances of the complete cycle of 32 Beethoven Piano Sonatas.

CD recordings on Koch, Albany, Opus Millesime, Pro Organo, and Parma labels.

Gold medalist of the 1975 Robert Casadesus International Piano Competition

First prize in Musical Arts Competition in Chicago, 1980

Top prizewinner of the Vianna da Motta Competition in Lisbon, 1966

Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity, 1993

On the roster of Steinway Artists

MTNA (Music Teachers National Association)

TMTA (Texas Music Teachers Association)

The Steinway Society of North Texas

Adjudicator for international competitions including the Casadesus, Cleveland, Gina Bachauer, Beethoven (Vienna) and Ettlingen.

Master classes in the USA, England, Italy, Colombia, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.