Timothy Steeves
Piano
B.Mus. (Western Ontario)
Diplom-Musiker (Hannover, Germany)
Pruefung der Kuenstlerischen Reife (Freigurg im Breisgau, Germany)
Solistenexamen (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany)
Office: MU-2008
Phone: (709) 864-2476
E-mail: tsteeves@mun.ca
Web: www.duoconcertante.com
Canadian pianist Timothy Steeves is widely known as one half of Duo Concertante, with violinist Nancy Dahn. Known for the passion, subtlety, and brilliance of their performances, Duo Concertante have worked together since 1997, developing the exceptionally unified voice that has repeatedly impressed audiences worldwide. Described as "two packages of musical dynamite" (Halifax Chronicle-Herald), they have received the Touring Performers Award (Contact East) as well as Memorial University’s prestigious President’s Award for Outstanding Research, and were named NLAC Artists of the Year in May 2010.
Timothy Steeves recently recorded his debut solo CD of works by Haydn in June 2010. With Duo Concertante, he has released five acclaimed commercial recordings on the ATMA, Marquis Classics, and Centrediscs labels. It Takes Two, released in 2009, features encore pieces arranged by Canadian composer Clifford Crawley and was described as "spectacular" (American Record Guide). Their new 2010 disc Wild Bird comprises works written especially for the duo by Canadian composers R. Murray Schafer, Chan Ka Nin, and Kati Agócs, and includes Schafer’s only major work for violin and piano. The first three CDs—À deux, Of Heart and Homeland, and Wild Honey—all received nominations for Best Classical Recording at the East Coast Music Awards. Also slated for release in fall 2010 is their classical music video, "Tico Tico".
Timothy Steeves has consistently revealed his passion for new music, commissioning a total of fifteen new works for violin and piano from many of Canada’s leading composers, such as Chan Ka Nin, Kati Agócs, Kelly-Marie Murphy, Alice Ho, Omar Daniel, Clark Ross, Andrew MacDonald, David Scott, Linda Bouchard, and Jean Lesage. The 2005 CD Wild Honey consists almost entirely of works written for the duo, and three world premières are scheduled for 2010-2011.
Steeves maintains a busy touring schedule, with frequent performances across North America, as well as in Europe and China. With Duo Concertante he has appeared at Wigmore Hall (London), Trinity Church (New York City), Old First Church (San Francisco), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles), the Four Seasons Performing Arts Centre (Toronto), the National Arts Centre (Ottawa), the Forbidden City Concert Hall (Beijing), and the Chapelle du Bon-Pasteur (Montreal). As a concerto soloist he has appeared with numerous orchestras across Canada. He also performs at music festivals throughout North America, including the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, the Cactus Pear Music Festival, Indian River Festival, Colours of Music Festival, Festival of the Sound, Music Niagara, and the Huntsville Festival, and has served as artist-in-residence at the Guelph Spring Festival, the Glenn Gould Professional School in Toronto, and Bishop’s University.
Professor of Piano at Memorial University in St. John’s, Steeves is a passionate and experienced teacher who has given hundreds of master classes and workshops across Canada including the University of Toronto, the University of Victoria, Mount Royal College, the Maritime Conservatory, and the University of Western Ontario. His commitment to working with young musicians gave rise to the annual Tuckamore Chamber Music Festival, which he and Nancy Dahn founded in 2000 to bring together young chamber music performers with world-class artists and ensembles for an intensive two weeks of learning and performance. His students have gone on to further their training at many leading schools including the New England Conservatory, McGill University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Montreal.
A native of Saskatoon, Timothy Steeves studied primarily in Germany at the Musikschüles of Freiburg im Breisgau, Hannover, and Köln. In addition to his busy career teaching and performing, Timothy is also the proud father of children Clara and Sasha and enjoys astronomy and history.
