Steven Snyder is a pianist and organist who maintains an active playing schedule locally, nationally and internationally. Snyder was selected as one of 66 pianists from all over the world to compete in the Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition, which was held in Paris, France, in October 2002.
He has performed in France, Portugal, Brazil, Sweden, Taiwan, as well as throughout the U.S. and Canada. A partial list of notable performances includes Randy Brecker, Jerry Bergonzi, Victor Goines, Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., Dick Sisto, Eric Alexander, Mace Hibbard, Brannen Temple, Efraim Owens, Art Gore, Brad Goode, Jeremy Long, Robben Ford, and Chris Maresh.
His work as an organist and pianist is documented on 20 recordings found on various independent releases since 1992. The Austin Chronicle has called his work “superb.” Seemagazine.com describes “incredible solos...particularly from the not-so-surprisingly sensational Steven Snyder.” Gapplegatemusicreview.blogspot writes that his work “goes beyond the Jimmie Smith, et al, mode into a post-middle-period-Larry-Young sort of feel.” Noted organ impresario Pete Fallico says Snyder can “get around those keyboards nicely and solo magnificently at both at slow and quick tempos.”
At DePauw, Prof. Snyder teaches large and small jazz ensembles, applied improvisation, improvisation classes, jazz theory, jazz arranging and jazz history as well as curating the long standing “Jazz at The Duck” series for The Fluttering Duck, housed within the Inn at DePauw.
He holds a D.M.A. degree in Piano Performance (Jazz Emphasis) from The University of Texas at Austin, along with an M.M. and B.M. in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, where he was a member of the 1:00 Lab Band appearing on four recordings over a two-year period. He also has appeared on recordings with Randy Brecker, Dave Stryker, Robben Ford, Jonathan Kriesberg, Kenny Phelps, Joel Tucker, Brannen Temple, Mace Hibbard, Chris Maresh and many others. He has presented clinics and or recital performances at the following locations: Universidade Federal de Goiás, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina in Brazil; numerous schools in Tainan, Taichung, Hsinchu, Keelung, and Taipei, Taiwan; The American College of Greece, The University of Louisville, Slippery Rock University, Miami University of Ohio, The Kentucky Music Educators Association Annual Conference, The Ohio Music Educators Association Annual Conference, The Kentucky Music Teachers National Association Conference, The Jazz Education Network Annual Conference, Morehead State University, The Kentucky Society’s Presidential Inaugural Ball in Washington D.C. (2013) and many others. He has contributed articles to the Teaching Music Through Performance series, and JazzEd magazine.