Pianist-composer for the 21st century

Equally at home composing for orchestra, playing Bach at the piano, or crossing over into pop, Sam Post is forging a career across styles and between genres. The Washington Post has praised his abilities at the piano ("confident, sensitive...a pianist with drive and intelligence"), the Bay Area Reporter lauded his chamber symphony ("Post has created a breathtaking musical joy ride"), and luminaries such as Renée Fleming have commended his overall musicianship (“incredibly gifted”). 
 

Watch Sam's chamber symphony on youtube
“ A brilliant combination of classicism and ragtime language. That is, on the one hand, this piece is written in the best understanding of the classics, on the other hand, there is a bright syncopation that emphasizes the melody in the upper voice (yes, there is a clear counterpoint here, and I am delighted!)” - Judge comment from the 2022 Fidelio Composition Competition, on "O'Carolan's Dream," 3rd prize winner

From Bach to Ragtime

Sam's grounding in counterpoint, especially the music of Bach, along with more recent rhythmic influences from pop, jazz, and ragtime help form his signature composing and playing styles. At age 14, Sam gave his debut recital with an all-Bach program. Since returning to music after a break in college due to injury (he graduated with highest honors from Yale with a degree in physics), he has since written hundreds of pieces in many configurations. His biggest contribution is in solo piano, along with piano music for one hand.

Listen to the Tango Toccata on Spotify
“For me, this is obviously number one. Perfect, bright, technical, provocative, with excellent dynamics in development. Absolutely incredible counterpoint work - and that's using just the right hand! The highest level of professionalism that I personally will never achieve.” - Judge comment from the 2022 Fidelio Composition Competition, on "Mary's Pastoral" for the Right Hand Alone, 4th place

A Chance Meeting and a Chamber Symphony 

In 2016 Sam subbed as an accompanist to Yo-Yo Ma and Renee Fleming at the Kennedy Center. After hearing Sam play one of his own compositions in their rehearsal, Ma promptly recommended him to Michael Tilson Thomas at the San Francisco Symphony for a string quartet commission on Kazakh folk themes by late dombra player Karshyga Akhmedyarov, whose daughter Raushan plays in the symphony. After the premiere of the resulting “Sketches from Kazakhstan,” the Symphony again commissioned him to turn it into a chamber symphony for their SoundBox concert series in December 2017. Baltimore Chamber Orchestra gave the East Coast premiere in February 2022.  

Sam with Michael Tilson Thomas and Raushan Akhmedyarova

“Great! I was amazed! Besides that it is wonderfully written composition, the possibility to perform such etude with only one hand seemed to me until now quite impossible. But the proof was given to me. And thus, all I can say is: I take my hat off to you Sir 'Liszt of 21th century' !” - Judge comment from the 2019 Fidelio Composition Competition, on Etude "Waterfall" for the Left Hand Alone, 2nd prize winner

Collaboration & Community

In 2016 Sam co-founded Kassia Music and has written and performed dozens of new pieces with the group in various configurations, from duos to sextets. The group is the current ensemble-in-residence at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Bethesda, MD, where they play concerts and present educational chamber music and compositional workshops. Sam also collaborates extensively with pianists Ralitza Patcheva and Carlos Cesar Rodriguez, is a musician-owner and musician-council member at Groupmuse, and is a regular at Purple Patch Open Piano night. He is on the piano and composition faculty at Levine Music, and teaches in the DC area.

More about Kassia Music

Awards and Honors

Sam is the only five-time prizewinner in the history of the Fidelio Composition Competition for piano, the competition where the participants from more than 30 countries are the judges. He won the 2021 and 2022 World Championship Old-Time Piano "New Rag" Competitions with Lighthouse Rag and Angels' Watch Rag-Waltz. Sam’s 2017 solo album “Dizzy Days” made W. Royal Stokes’ notable jazz releases that year, was featured on the cover of the Syncopated Times, and No Depression called it “dazzling in its knife-sharp precision and riveting craftsmanship.” Sam is the recipient of multiple Levine faculty grants, an Emergent Seed grant, commissions from the San Francisco Symphony and Palisades Virtuosi. He won the 2014 Wonderlic Piano Competition, the 2017 and 2018 Misbin Memorial Chamber Music Competitions, and Honorable Mention at the 2013 Heida Hermanns International Competition, in all cases playing his own original compositions. He has been featured on WETA's "Front Row Washington" four times, and appeared on other radio stations across the country with his performances of Chopin, Bach, and his own compositions.