Stephanie Trick is a versatile young pianist and recording artist, and performs in festivals and concerts, both at home and abroad.

Stephanie became interested in piano at the age of five, when she first experienced the thrill of hearing live music. She watched in awe as the pianist in a hotel restaurant played one beautiful melody after another. Soon after this encounter, she began taking lessons from Diane Ceccarini (the pianist from the hotel) in St. Louis, Missouri, until graduation from high school 13 years later.

In June 2009, Stephanie graduated from the University of Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Although she studied Baroque, Romantic, and Classical styles in college, her interest outside of classical music began at the age of 10, when her piano teacher introduced her to ragtime – the “roots” music of St. Louis. She was awarded first place for three years in the St. Louis Friends of Scott Joplin ragtime competition.

Currently Stephanie is studying the music of the great early jazz pianists, such as Thomas “Fats” Waller, James P. Johnson, and Willie “The Lion” Smith. She first became aware of this brilliant and orchestral style of piano playing when her teacher gave her the sheet music for “The Carolina Shout”, one of Johnson’s signature pieces. She immediately fell in love with stride piano, and knew that she wanted to play more of this music.

She has performed since 2006 at the West Coast Ragtime Festival in Sacramento, California. In 2008 when she played with five of the world's best musicians at the Stride and Swing Summit in Boswil, Switzerland, she learned from French pianist Louis Mazetier that in order to play stride piano and traditional jazz in an authentic style, the most accurate sources are the recordings of the old masters – not sheet music.

Stephanie’s first solo CD was Piano Tricks – a combination of stride, ragtime, jazz, and classical selections. Her latest album, Hear That Rhythm!, has an emphasis on the stride works of Waller, Johnson, and Smith, as well as on some contemporary ragtime compositions. CD track listings and ordering information may be found here.

She believes that traditional jazz and stride piano played an integral role in the development of American culture. This legacy should not be forgotten, and Stephanie hopes she can bring about a greater appreciation for America’s rich musical heritage.
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