BRIAN WOODS
"Woods is a compelling young musician with a formidable technique and inspiring interpretations. His performances consistently reach the highest levels of artistry."
John O'Conor, International Steinway Recording Artist
Celebrated for his stunning musicianship and dazzling stage presence, American pianist Brian Woods has emerged as a rising star of international acclaim. His 2022-2023 Season includes concert tours of the United States, concerto appearances with the Quincy Symphony and Gateway Festival Orchestra, collaborations with the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis, an international debut for the prestigious Music Toronto, and a solo appearance in Southern California as Winner of the Beverly Hills National Auditions, a nationwide search for the most talented young artists in the country. Woods currently serves as Music Director for Classical Programming at the World Chess Hall of Fame, one of the premier venues for chamber music in Missouri.
A native of St. Louis, Woods has enjoyed success in numerous distinguished competitions, including the Verona International Piano Competition, The American Prize, and the Artist Presentation Society Auditions. Following his debut concerto performance at age eighteen, he maintains an extensive concerto repertoire, from Liszt and Tchaikovsky's First Concerti to Beethoven's Fifth, Brahms' Second, and Rachmaninoff's Third. Woods has since performed with such ensembles as the Manassas Symphony Orchestra, the Southeast Missouri Symphony, the Belleville Philharmonic, the University City Symphony Orchestra, and the Southern Illinois Symphony.
Past seasons have included concerts in Toronto, Washington D.C., St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago, and Dublin, Ireland. His performances continue to receive high acclaim, with audiences and critics alike praising his playing as “astonishing” (KDHX St. Louis), “inspiring” (Encinitas, CA), and “taking the audience on a journey” (Watertown, NY). As a passionate chamber musician, Woods has collaborated with tenor Vinson Cole and cellist Julian Schwarz, among many other partners in the United States and Canada. His artistic partnership with Canadian violinist Daniel Dastoor as the Dastoor-Woods Duo has led to notable performances in Toronto’s Koerner Hall and for the Banff Centre for the Arts' inaugural Evolution: Classical concert series.
Woods holds degrees from Vanderbilt University, University of Missouri - Kansas City, and Shenandoah University. Past mentors include Craig Nies, Robert Weirich, Stanislav Ioudenitch, Donna Vince, and Margaret Kitto. In 2021, Woods completed the Artist Diploma Program at The Royal Conservatory's Glenn Gould School, where he studied on full scholarship with legendary Irish pianist and Beethoven interpreter John O'Conor.
