STEPHEN CRAIG  (Piano, Organ, Keyboards)» 

Biography
Most recently Stephen has been awarded the full-time post as pianist in residence at the Ramallah-Palestine branch of the Barenboim Said foundation from September 2008. This includes performing as a chamber musician with fellow members of staff, teaching piano and accompanying students.

Whilst he was a student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Stephen performed with many ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestra, String Ensemble, Opera Orchestra and Contemporary Ensemble, where he played piano, organ, continuo and celesta. He has also accompanied several student end-of-year recitals at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Stephen has been working at the Edward Said National Conservatoire of Music in Jerusalem-Palestine since March 2008 as an accompanist for student and teacher recitals. He was the piano teacher at the Chamber Music Camp in Birzeit-Palestine (2008) and the Official accompanist for the Marcel Khalife National Music Competition held in Jerusalem-Palestine (2008).

Stephen has performed as a soloist and chamber musician with many professional instrumentalists including members of Sound Collective, Celticana Quartet, Matt Jones (viola) and members of staff at ESNCM. In 2006 Stephen was invited to perform as a soloist in a performance of Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals by the Sound Collective, for a performance at the Swansea Music Festival. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician for numerous concert societies throughout the U.K including Yatton Music Club, "All Saints Alive" (Swansea) chamber music season, Brahms Clarinet Trio (WNO open house event 2007) and a cello/piano recital with Graham du Plessis as part of the Welsh Millennium Centre lunch-time recital series (2008). He performed chamber recitals at Lady Walton's mansion in Ischia accompanying for Walton's Viola Concerto, Walton's Violin Sonata, Prokofiev's Cello Sonata and other works by William Walton (2007). Other experience includes outreach organ work for the Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama (2008). Stephen's most recent recital was at the Peace Centre in Bethlehem with Japanese violinist Shinya Abe (2008).

Education
Stephen's graduate studies took place at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (BMus (hons), 1st class, 2005; MMus, 2006).

Prizes and Awards

• Lawrence Davis Award (2005)
• Winner of the Julian Jacobson Solo Piano Competition (2006)
• Winner of the Cardiff Violins Chamber Music Competition (2006)

Teachers: Michael Young, Richard McMahon.

Stephen has had chamber music masterclasses from Ian Brown, Susan Tomes, Peter Esswood, Robert Plane, Emperor Quartet, Fidelio Trio, Wye Valley Chamber Music players, chamber music course at the Tibor Varga Academy of Music (Switzerland, 2006) Leonid Gorokhov, William Schofield, Sharon McKinley, Richard May and Graham Oppenheimer.

Stephen has had solo masterclasses from Bernard Roberts, Margaret Fingerhut, Richard Ormrod, Andrew Zolinsky, Boris Berman and Mark Tanner.

Stephen joined Morgensterns in January 2008

Stephen's web profile was last updated 13th Dec 2008

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