Biography
Bruce Stark’s music reflects the varied elements of his musical upbringing. He grew up in Lakeside, California where he began with drums and percussion, migrated to jazz piano, and while in college dropped out of the physics program to begin formal studies in classical music, going on to complete a masters degree in composition at the Juilliard School. After graduation he moved to Tokyo where he resided for over 20 years making a living as arranger and jazz pianist, all the while producing a collection of works that reveal a compelling musical voice. In 2013 he returned to the U.S. and joined the music faculty of DigiPen Institute of Technology in Redmond, Washington.
From solo piano to chamber and orchestral works, Stark’s music has been performed on the concert stages of four continents and recorded on numerous CDs. His Sonata for Piano was awarded Honorable Mention by the Music Teachers National Association in the Distinguished Composer of the Year competition, and he was winner of the South Texas Brass Symposium Competition for Adagio and Allegro for horn, trombone and piano. Other awards include First Prize in the Composers Guild Contest, Second Prize in the Barlow International Competition, and ASCAP composer awards.
His compositions have been featured in the National Flute Association Convention, American Piano Festival, International Trombone Festival, Canberra International Chamber Music Festival and MasterWorks Festival. Performances have included the Baton Rouge and Lansing symphonies, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Jakarta Symphony, Northwest Symphony Orchestra, Beaverton Symphony, Portland Youth Philharmonic, Rapides Symphony, numerous pianists and other musicians including trombonists Megumi Kanda and Don Lucas who have commissioned and championed multiple new works.
News
2026 Highlights
March 5, 2026: Simona Barbu and Nariaki Sugiura performed Suite for Cello and Piano at Southeastern Oklahoma State University
March 23, 2026: pianist Yeon-Kyung Kim performed the 1st movement of Sonata for Piano at Washington University in St. Louis, MO
April 14, 2026: Portland Youth Philharmonic gave 2 performances of Popcorn Fantasia in a children’s concert for 4000 young listeners (grades 2-8) in Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland.
April 21, 2026 pianist Yeon-Kyung Kim performed Sonata for Piano at Bradley University’s Dingeldine Music Center as part of her solo recital.
May 22, 2026: pianist Nariaki Sugiura released Unbound: American Piano Music for the Left Hand, featuring Bruce Stark's If Stars Could Speak, a collection of 8 pieces. (Centaur Records catalogue CRC4168)
June 12, 2026 pianist Eunsong Kim performed Nocturne for Left Hand Piano at Honeywell Center in Wabash, Indiana as part of Soundboard Live Performance of Honeywell Arts Academy.
June 13, 2026, pianist Nariaki Sugiura performed several pieces from To A Child’s Heart at the Bismark Summer Piano Camp
July 9, 2026: Suite for Horn, Trombone and Piano was performed at Dominion Energy Center’s Mooney Hall in Richmond, Virginia by Dominic Rotella (horn), Jonathan Liang (trombone) and Russel Wilson (piano)
July 10, 2026 Suite for Trombone and Harp was given its world premiere at MasterWorks Festival at Liberty University, Virginia by Don Lucas (who commissioned the piece) and Dr. Heaven Fan
July 14, 2026 Suite for Horn, Trombone and Piano was performed at a faculty recital of the New England Music Camp in Sidney, Maine by Stephen Slater (horn), William Sutton (trombone), and Ling Lo (piano)
July 29, 2026 Suite for Horn, Trombone and Piano was performed as part of a concert series through the New England Music Camp in Hallowell, Maine at the Louden Hill Center by Stephen Slater (horn), William Sutton (trombone), and Ling Lo (piano)
November 15, 2026: Suite for Horn, Trombone and Piano will be performed at Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg by Leo Halsdorf (horn), Simone Patz (trombone) and Katrin Reifenrath (piano)
November 17, 2026 Kaitlyn Bell will lead a performance of Suite for Horn, Trombone and Piano at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.
In January of 2027 the label Sono Luminus will release an album of Bruce Stark's works for voices and chamber ensemble in a variety of combinations, with music ranging from duets to works for chorus and large ensemble
