Biography

Althea Waites

Pianist Althea Waites has been acclaimed throughout the United States, Europe and Asia as a brilliant soloist, chamber musician and collaborative artist. In addition to performing on many of the world’s prestigious concert stages, she has also appeared in recital at major festivals such as Aspen, Tanglewood, the Yale Summer Festival and the Idyllwild Arts Festival.

Praised by the Los Angeles Times for “superb technique and profound musicality”, Ms.Waites has a distinguished history of performing new music by American composers and has received several honors and commendations for her work. She has also been a guest soloist for National Public Radio’s Performance Today ‘, KQED in San Francisco, KCET in Los Angeles, and “Sundays at Four “, a live broadcast from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Her recording credits include the landmark CD, “Black Diamonds”, a collection of music by African-American composers which was released by Cambria Records in 1993 to rave reviews from the critics. Her new recording, "Along The Western Shore" ,was also released by Cambria in April of 2004, and features music of California composers Elinor Remick Warren, William Grant Still, Richard Saylor and Lloyd Rodgers.

Ms.Waites is a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana and the Yale University School of Music where she studied with Donald Currier. She has also studied with Alice Shapiro, a protégé of the late Rosina Llhevine at the Juilliard School, and Russell Sherman, faculty artist at New England Consevatory.

In addition to maintaining her concert schedule, Ms.Waites is currently on the keyboard faculty at California State University/Long Beach. and is in demand for residencies and master classes at colleges and arts institutions throughout the country. Her strong commitment to cultural and community education is evident through her work with many outreach and service programs in retirement homes, prisons, medical centers and arts institutions such as the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department as well as previous affiliations with Performing Tree, the Los Angeles County Music Center Education Program, and Chamber Music in Historic Sites.

Althea Waites is a Steinway artist and a member of Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.

Awards and Honors

1993: Brody Arts Fellowship, California Community Foundation
1991: National Association of Composers/USA
1990: Min-On Cultural Award, Soka Gakkai International Society
1988: Los Angeles Sentinel Woman of the Year
1987: Brody Arts Fellowship, California Community Foundation
1986: League of Allied Arts Fellowship; International Congress of Women in Music
1977: National Organization for Women

Performance Highlights

Artes De Mexico Festival, Los Angeles
Tours of Denmark and Japan (recitals in Farum, Copenhagen, Tokyo, and Osaka)
Tour of Russia (recitals in Moscow, Minsk, Kiev, and St. Petersburg)
Tour of Germany (recitals in Bremen, Heidelberg, and Frankfurt)
Loyola Marymount University,
Los Angeles Bing Theater, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Phillips Gallery , Washington , D.C.
Merkin Hall, New York City (solo recital debut)
University of Michigan
Damrosch Park, Donnell Library, Brooklyn Museum; New York
University of Southern California
California State University/Long Beach

 

 

 

back to top