Our Accompanist – Thomas Steigerwald

Prize-winning pianist and Native Texan Thomas Steigerwald has pursued a multifaceted career of solo performance, chamber music, and orchestral piano. He performed four years as Piano Fellow of the New World Symphony and also with the Nu Deco Ensemble, both in Miami Beach. He is a medal winner in the Wideman, New York, Dallas Chamber Symphony, and San Jose international piano competitions, and holds a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School where he studied with Matti Raekallio. He also received a Bachelor of Music degree from Eastman School of Music under the tutelage of Douglas Humpherys.

Mr. Steigerwald made his orchestral debut at age eighteen, performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the San Antonio Symphony. He performed Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado during their 2019 summer festival, as well as Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in 2021, and the Strauss “Burleske for Piano and Orchestra” in 2022. In 2019, he collaborated with violist Brett Deubner for twenty concerts in their second tour of China. In 2018, Mr. Steigerwald premiered Cosme McMoon’s newly discovered piano concerto Rondo Espagnol, giving performances with both the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio and the New World Symphony.

Summer music festival fellowships Mr. Steigerwald has held include the National Repertory Orchestra, Music Academy of the West, Round Top Festival Institute, and Aspen Music Festival. Thomas developed his musicianship during his early years through having 12 years of study with Kenneth Thompson at the Musical Arts Center of San Antonio, and has played with choirs at the levels of high school, collegiate, and professional groups.