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Brian Dykstra

Adjunct Ermeritus Professor of Music

Brian Dykstra, piano. Adjunct Emeritus Professor, appointed 1969 and full-time member of faculty, 1969-2007. B.S. in piano, Juilliard School of Music; M.Mus. and D.M.A. in piano, Eastman School of Music. Fulbright grant for advanced study, Mozarteum Academy, Salzburg, Austria, 1967-68. Piano with James Friskin and Cecile Genhart. Solo recitals at colleges and universities; participant in three international piano competitions. Has performed frequently in chamber music concerts including several at the Purcell Room in London, England, and at Carnegie Recital Hall in New York. Has presented more than 200 programs of ragtime music at colleges, elementary and secondary schools for cultural groups, community arts councils and other organizations and at national ragtime festivals. Three LP recordings broadcast over WFMT-FM in Chicago, WCLV, and National Public Radio stations coast-to-coast. Has composed 52 concert rags for piano and other instruments, music at all levels of difficulty for pianists, and other works. 15 of his compositions are on his CD Original Rags. In 1997 his rag "Spring Beauties" won first prize among 43 entries in the Ragtime Composition Contest sponsored by the Scott Joplin International Foundation; the same piece is on the 1998 CD Spring Beauties by pianist Virginia Eskin (Koch International Classics). A CD entitled Brian Dykstra: Concert Rags, featuring pianist Noel Lester, was released on the Centaur label early in 2004 and received an "A" from Cleveland Plain Dealer music critic Donald Rosenberg. 146 original compositions and arrangements for piano published in fourteen different publications by Boston Music Company, Willis Music Company, Centerstream Publications and Spectrum Music Press. Has composed works on commission from several members of The Cleveland Orchestra and by the Lester/Roldan Piano Duo, and the Magical Flutes Duo, and has made piano arrangements of George Gershwin songs especially for noted soprano Erie Mills. His Two Rags for Bassoon and Piano are published by International Opus.