Inspired by the music of our time, pianist Nathanael May seeks to enlighten audiences around the world with innovative performances, initiatives, and outreach. Noted for ‘quicksilver grace’ (Fanfare), ‘outstanding performances’ (Classical Guitar), and ‘highly developed touch and sound’ (Fuldaer Zeitung), Nathanael has performed on three continents with appearances in Germany, Turkey, Italy, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Cyprus, Panama and throughout North America. He was named the 2012 Winner of the American Prize for solo piano performance, in recognition of his recordings on a variety of record labels. His leadership of the soundSCAPE Composition And Performance Exchange has been profiled by the webzine I Care If You Listen, and in the Eastman Case Studies published by the Institute for Music Leadership at the University of Rochester, New York. Nathanael founded this festival and non-profit foundation in 2005 and served as the artistic director until 2019. He also co-founded the Piano Days Festival and Competition with pianist Thomas Rosenkranz; held biennially in Italy, this festival attracts top talent from China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia. Guest faculty have included professors and internationally renowned pianists from The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Shenyang and Beijing Conservatories, among other prestigious institutions.
Nathanael is currently the Tim & Gail Buchanan endowed chair for the Fine Arts division at Friends University. Founded in 1898, Friends is a non-denominational Christian university rooted in the Quaker heritage. From 2020-22, Nathanael served as chair of the School of Fine Arts at Missouri Western State University. He received faculty awards for Teaching Excellence, Outstanding Scholarship, and Service Leadership in recognition of his achievements at Missouri Western. His students are winners of local and international competitions, and have been accepted with full scholarship for graduate study in performance at institutions throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. Previous teaching appointments include the University of Kansas and Eastern Mediterranean University in Famagusta, Cyprus.
He holds a doctorate of musical arts from the University of Kansas, a masters in performance and literature from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, and a bachelors in performance from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
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