“The qualities of the Steinway which I find most appealing are its clarity and depth of sound, even action and touch, and the beauty and resonance of its tone.”
Michael Stevens
Pianist, Composer and “Steinway Artist,” Michael Jefry Stevens performs extensively in Europe, Latin America and North America. He has composed over 340 works for both large and small ensembles. An active band-leader for over 35 years, his current working musical ensembles include the "Conference Call Quartet," the "Fonda/Stevens Group," the Hungarian "Eastern Boundary Quartet," his collaboration with New Orleans horn man, Brian “Breeze” Cayolle, his recent collaboration with Dame Evelyn Glennie, and his 12 piece North Carolina based “Mountain Chamber Jazz Ensemble.” Michael has released over 100 cds featuring his own music and has performed and/or recorded extensively with many of the top names in Jazz, including Dave Liebman, Oliver Lake, Dave Douglas, Leo Smith, Matt Wilson, Han Bennink, Mark Feldman, Pheeroan AkLaff, Charles Moffett Sr., Dame Evelyn Glennie, Billy Martin and many others. In 2016 Michael was voted “Best Composer of WNC” by the Mountain Xpress, and received a 2017 Regional Project Artist Grant from the Toe River Arts Council.
He was the “Margaret Lee Crofts Fellow” for 2000-2001 at the MacDowell Colony, and was a Centrum Arts composer fellow (2004). Stevens was artist in residence for at EMU Conservatory in La Plata, Argentina between 2005-2010, and has taught master classes at the Royal Academy of Music in Denmark, Sibelius Academy in Finland, University of Michigan, Indiana University, and many other educational institutions in Europe, Latin America and North America. Michael is currently adjunct faculty at Eastern Tennessee State University.