Album Notes

Stephen Barnett is a classically trained pianist and composer/songwriter who received his B.A. in Music Composition from Duke University and his M.F.A. in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. As an undergraduate, he studied under the tutelage of Stephen Jaffe and Scott Lindroth, and while pursuing his Masters at NYU, his teachers included Bill Finn and Michael John LaChiusa. His thesis musical, Beautiful, received its Off-Broadway premiere at the 2005 NYC Fringe Festival, a production that starred David Anders (TV’s Alias) and Rodney Hicks (Rent). In 2006, Stephen provided the music preparation for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Company, which transferred to Broadway later that year.

In July 2006, an evening of Stephen’s work was showcased at the Triad Theatre, as ASTEP (Artists Struggling to End Poverty) launched its inaugural ArtCents Benefit Concert Series. With musical direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, the concert featured performances by Tituss Burgess, Joe Cassidy, Manoel Felciano and Barbara Walsh. Stephen has released two albums – Free Spirit (1999), a collection of neo-classical piano works composed during his study at Duke, and an original concept recording of his thesis musical, Beautiful (2004). Currently, Stephen is holed up in a recording studio, plotting his next diabolical incarnation.