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Russell Wilson, Pianist

Russell Wilson, a native of Memphis, Tennessee is an outstanding classical and jazz pianist who enjoys a distinguished career as a solo and chamber music performer. He is the principal pianist of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra where he has performed as a soloist and accompanied world renowned artists including the late Mel Torme, Richard Hyman, Cab Calloway , Chet Atkins, Steve Allen and Carol Lawrence. Mr. Wilsonís performances over the years have been numerous and varied: as pianist with the Joe Kennedy Quartet at the National Association of Jazz Educators Conference in Atlanta; with the Louisville Symphony Orchestra as accompanist for flutist, Leslie Burrs; and at the Smithsonian Institution as pianist with Trio Pro Viva, a chamber ensemble devoted to the performance of music by African-American composers. As soloist, Mr. Wilson has performed Beethovenís Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major with the Reston, Virginia Community Orchestra. He was also selected to perform in master classes conducted by Earl Wild and Leon Fleisher.

Mr. Wilson has been pianist for the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra (SJMO) conducted by David Baker and Gunther Schuller since 1995, and has toured nationally with the orchestra in Kansas, Colorado, California, Chicago, Washington, Rhode Island, Alaska, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Tennessee. In 1999, the orchestra performed the music of Duke Ellington in The Cotton Club Revue at Jazz festivals in Canada, Istanbul, Spain, Italy, France, London, Helsinki and The Hague International engagements

In addition to his performances, Mr. Wilson has conducted improvisational workshops for the Richmond Music Teachers Association, Richmond Jazz Society, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Virginia State University with violinist Joe Kennedy, Jr. He has recorded works for solo piano on Moonlight Piano and is featured on The Memphis Connection, both of which have received frequent airplay.