Equally at home on the concert stage and in the classroom, pianist J. BRADLEY BAKER enjoys a versatile career as a soloist, collaborative pianist and vocal coach, and educator.
A dynamic soloist, Baker’s performances have been heard in concert halls throughout the United States and Canada. He has been recorded by the Navona Records label and broadcast on public radio stations throughout the United States and United Kingdom. Baker has recently presented solo recitals for the Charleston Arts Society (MO), Henderson Civic Club (TX), Sandzén Gallery Concert Series (KS), Kilgore Community Concert Series (TX), Steinway Gallery Artist Series (AL), and is scheduled to open the 2019-20 season of the Atelier Concert Series of the American Church in Paris (FRANCE). Other invitational performances include recitals and masterclasses at Kansas State University, University of Tennessee, University of Kentucky, Emporia State University, Washburn University, University of Arkansas, University of the Ozarks, among others.
A sensitive and responsive collaborator, Baker has worked many international artists, including opera superstar Samuel Ramey, bass-baritone William Powers, tenor Michael Sylvester, and tenor Hugo Vera, as well as cellists Leonid Shukaev and Jeffrey Lastrapes, violist Daniel Sweaney, flutist Nicole Esposito, and French hornist Patrick Hughes. Baker has also presented chamber performances at the North American Viola Institute, the International Double Reed Society Conference, and the Texas Music Teachers Association Conference. He is a regular presenter and performer at the National Opera Association’s Annual Convention and the Kansas Music Teachers Association Conference. Baker has performed for collaborative classes of renowned pedagogues and performers Robert Vernon, Jeffrey Irvine, Heidi Castelman, Warren Jones, and Margo Garrett. Chamber music instructors include Elizabeth DeMio, Anita Pontremoli, Virginia Weckstrom, Paul Kantor, Yi-Fang Huang, and Cleveland Quartet founding member Peter Salaff.
Baker is the Executive Director and Music Director & Coach for Music On Site, Inc., a site-specific performance company that showcases the architectural assets of Central Kansas. Baker has held the role of Head Coach for Wichita Grand Opera, served on the faculty of the Opera Academy of the Midwest, and as vocal coach and répétiteur with Lawrence Opera Theatre (KS), Natchez Opera (MS), and Opera Birmingham (AL). Within academia, Baker was Pianist and Assistant Musical Director for the University of Alabama Opera Theatre, vocal & chamber music coach for University of Texas at Tyler, and vocal coach for Stillman College. He currently works as the pianist, vocal coach, and Music Director for Tabor College Opera. Baker has been on the staff of the Hot Springs Music Festival (AR), the North American Viola Institute (Quebec), and Natchez Festival of Music (MS). He is currently the orchestral keyboardist of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra (KS) and the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra (AL). In 2019, Baker will join the artist faculty of the InterHarmony Music Festival in Piedmont, Italy.
In addition to being an active performer, Dr. Baker is a passionate arts educator and has held teaching appointments at The University of Alabama, The University of Texas at Tyler, Stillman College, and Judson College. He is currently Assistant Professor of Piano and Collaborative Piano at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, where he leads a large studio of pianists, teaches Music Theory, directs the Music Preparatory School, and coaches students of the Voice Area. Baker regularly presents master classes and is in demand as a competition adjudicator, including the MTNA Young Artist Competition, Kansas Music Teachers Association State Auditions, and Mississippi State Pre-College Finals. Baker serves as President of Newton Music Teachers Association (NMTA), and serves as President-Elect and Collaborative Music Chair for the Kansas Music Teachers Association (KMTA).
Dr. Baker graduated magna cum laude from North Dakota State University, and received the prestigious William Kurzban Award while completing graduate work at Cleveland Institute of Music. In 2014, Baker completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from The University of Alabama. Instructors include Sandra Siler, Robert Groves, Daniel Shapiro, and Noel Engebretson, with additional work with Robert Roux and Paul Schenly.