Ian Scarfe | piano
Ian Scarfe enjoys a wide ranging career as an advocate for music. Initially following directions to become a piano soloist, he quickly discovered the joys of diversifying his work. As a performer he is equally comfortable as a soloist, accompanying recital partners, or in the mix of a small or large ensemble. As a speaker, he is a frequent lecturer during formal concerts, a host and emcee during casual musical events, and also a narrator to children's programs. As a musical entrepreneur, he keeps a busy travel schedule across the United States and Europe organizing concerts, tours, and festivals.
He is the founder and director of the Trinity Alps Chamber Music Festival. Started in 2011 as a retreat for musicians and composers in the beautiful Trinity Alps region of Northern California, this organization has expanded to become a kind of “touring festival”. It has presented diverse program with dozens of musicians in over 300 free public concerts and school programs across communities and schools in rural Northern California and Oregon.
He is a founding member of several ensembles, including the Vinifera Trio in California's Bay Area and the Zurich Beethoven Trio in Switzerland. He has supported colleagues in the creation of the Hogtown Chamber Music Festival in Gainesville, Florida, Festival Viana in Portugal, and Festival Rolland in Bourgogne, France. He has served as faculty and guest artist at the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival in Alaska, the Astoria Music Festival in Oregon, and the Telluride Chamber Music Festival in Colorado.
As a soloist, Ian's appearances with orchestras have come to prominently feature the music of Beethoven. Recent performances of Beethoven's music include the Piano Concerto No. 4, the “Choral” Fantasy, and the "Triple" Concerto. He also has a personal goal to perform at least 20 of Mozart's Piano Concertos - so far he has only performed three of them, No. 17 in G Major, No. 20 in D Minor, and No. 10, the Concerto for Two Pianos in E-flat Major.
His talks on music have taken him to universities (Stanford, UCSC, UCSF, Willamette, Monmouth, Western Illinois), adult education programs, and retirement communities. He has been the host for concerts at orchestra halls, jazz clubs, and private homes, and has been the narrator for several children's concerts, including “Peter and the Wolf”, “Babar the Elephant”, and Rudyard Kipling's “Just So Stories”.
His sports career includes a stint as the starting pianist with the San Francisco 49ers, a grueling job that involved playing background music and light jazz at Candlestick Park's “Stadium Club Restaurant” during home games from 2009-2013. He is currently on staff as a music associate at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he earned a Master's Degree in 2008 and an Artist's Certificate in 2010.
