Stephen Fiess

Dr. Stephen Fiess, a native of Stratford, Ontario, Canada, holds a Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance from the University of Western Ontario; a Master's degree in Piano Performance from Indiana University; and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance, Pedagogy and Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He also holds an Associate certificate in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto. Dr. Fiess was a prize winner in the Krenek Division of the 1989 Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition.

Dr. Fiess has composed ballets that have been performed in Colorado; and a ballet that was performed at the International Dance Festival of Havana, Cuba. His piano music has been published by Waterloo Music/Mayfair Music (including "Northern Wilderness Suite" and "Lorelei Suite"); Voice of The Rockies (including the ballet "Bad Seeds" and "Sonata in Ragtime"); and Myklas Press/Alfred Music Publishers (several piano duets). Dr. Fiess has also composed church music, including a setting of the Lutheran liturgy; and three sets of variations on Christmas carols for organ, published by Morningstar Music. He has recently released a CD of his solo piano works, entitled "White Reindeer."

His interest in Prokofiev's piano music led to a doctoral dissertation on that subject, and subsequently a book, "The Piano Works of Serge Prokofiev," published in 1994 by Scarecrow Press.

Dr. Fiess was the lecturer for the 2009 Denver Area Music Teachers Association (DAMTA) Fall Course, on the subject of "Piano Music in the Romantic Era."

Dr. Fiess is currently organist at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Centennial, Colorado; and teaches piano privately in Highlands Ranch, a suburb of Denver, Colorado.

Dr. Fiess likes to write music that expresses feelings, tells stories, or paints musical tone pictures. He finds inspiration in poetry, dance, and the beauty of nature.