American pianist and composer Owen Dodds maintains a diverse and stimulating musical life, performing as a classical soloist, chamber musician, and songwriter. Originally from North Carolina, he now resides in New York City. He has recently graced the stages of prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, Lincoln Center’s Clark Studio Theatre, and Rockwood Music Hall.
An active collaborator, Owen is a member of the Béla Trio with clarinetist Kelsi Doolittle and violinist Stephanie Bonk, which received the Donald Spieth Prize for chamber music. He also co-leads the modern-folk duo Early Gray with guitarist Drake Duffer, releasing two albums of original music and collaborating with artists like Gabriel Kahane. Early Gray was notably featured on PBS North Carolina.
Owen is increasingly dedicating time to composition, with his chamber works recently showcased by Stony Brook’s Contemporary Chamber Players, The New School’s Tech Forward concert series, and the Weekend of Chamber Music festival. An upcoming project includes a piece commissioned by his mentor, pianist Gilbert Kalish.
He has earned awards in major piano competitions, including the Music Teachers National Association, the Baltimore International Piano Festival Competition, and the Malaysian International Music Competition. He has also performed as a concerto soloist with the UNC School of the Arts Symphony Orchestra and the National Academic Orchestra of Ukraine.
Owen’s formal education began at the high school program at UNC School of the Arts (Clifton Matthews, Dr. Dmitri Shteinberg). He holds a Master of Music degree from Boston University (Gila Goldstein) and continued studies at Mannes School of Music (Vladimir Valjarević). He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Stony Brook University under the guidance of Gilbert Kalish.
Awards and Competitions
- Donald Spieth Award for Chamber Music, 2024
- First Prize, Stony Brook University Concerto Competition, 2024
- First Prize, MTNA Southeastern Division, 2021
- Winner, Boston University at Carnegie Hall Competition, 2019
- Grand Prize, Baltimore International Piano Festival Competition, 2017
