Take a cultural journey through America's history with pianist Scott Kirby at our upcoming Kids' Concert, Ragtime and Beyond. This special encore broadcast from his 2012 show, hosted by Verne Windham, will air Saturday, June 18 from 1-2 PM on KPBX 91.1 FM.
We will explore 150 years of music through Kirby's piano performances of some of America's greats, including Stephen Foster, John Philip Sousa, and the ragtime of Scott Joplin.
Kirby's unique presentation highlights the worlds of Classic Ragtime, New Orleans Jazz, Blues, and more. He has appeared at every major ragtime festival in the US, plus events all over the world.
Special thanks to our event donors, STCU, Harvard Park Children's Learning Center North, andRocket Bakeries.
About the Artist
A native of Ohio, Scott Kirby began his study of music at the age of six, and continued formal piano instruction for seventeen years. He worked under Robert Howat of Wittenberg University of Ohio, and Sylvia Zaremba at the Ohio State University. After obtaining an English degree from Ohio State University, Kirby moved to New Orleans and began his professional music career, as a street performer. In the following four years, he recorded the complete rags of Scott Joplin, and made his debut at all of the major ragtime festivals in the United States, as well as festivals in Belgium, France, Norway, New Zealand, and Hungary.
Kirby has served as Musical Director of the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, MO, and of the Rocky Mountain Ragtime and American Music Festival in Boulder, CO, as well as director of the San Juan Islands Ragtime Institute. He has made 25 recordings, and has composed over 150 original works for piano and other instruments.
Kirby’s artistic passion grew to include to visual art, and in 2005, while living in France, he completed 75 paintings and 28 piano compositions, including “The Prairie Devotionals,” The paintings (belonging to a set entitled “Visions of the Great Plains”) and the new musical works set the groundwork for his new multi-media project “Main Street Souvenirs.” Kirby now lives in Boulder, Colorado and divides his time between composing, painting, performing and teaching.
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