Greg Nossaman

Greg began playing the piano at age 4 in home town Houston, Texas.  After 10 years of intensive classical studying under Phil Magness, Greg was introduced to jazz from a private lesson with Wynton Marsalis.  In the same year, Greg qualified for entrance into the Young Keyboard Artists Association, and traveled to Colorado for 3 weeks of studying under Thomas  Schumacher (current instructor at the Eastman Conservatory).  The following year, Greg was asked to take part in the University of Houston's young artist keyboard institute and studied for 2 years with Julliard graduate Tim Hestor.  At age 16, Greg moved to the northern Virginia area, and renewed lessons with Thomas Schumacher, then head of Piano Performance Studies in the music department of the University of Maryland.  At the same time, Greg formed a friendship with local sax legend Tim Eyermann, who began to push Greg into the jazz direction, and this resulted in the formation of a lasting bond with pianist Wade Beach. After a year of recovery from a grueling car accident, jazz became the focus of Greg's musical identity, and from the inspiration and instruction of Wade Beach, Greg began his first professional playing at age 17. In his senior year of high school, Greg received the "Outstanding Jazz Pianist" award at the Tri-State Jazz Festival. The following year, he began attendance at the University of Virginia, where he has received continued scholarships for jazz studies. Though he majors in Math and Economics, Greg is the arranger for the University of Virginia Jazz Ensemble, and has played with Pat Metheny, Valery Ponamarev (from Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers), Art Baron (from Duke Ellington's big band), and is a frequent member of John Dearth's Charlottesville Swing Orchestra. In addition Greg has recently returned from leading a trio on a 5 week tour of Europe, including the Montreux and Verbier festivals.  Under the continued guidance of Wade Beach, Bob Hallahan, John Dearth, and a countless number of other supportive professionals, Greg hopes to pursue a career in music.