Grant Richards

Grant RichardsImage 1 of 1

Boston-based pianist and composer Grant Richards strives to cultivate an original sound in his music that is organic and honest, bound by the melodies of his experience. Inspired by his sister, Richards began playing piano and composing at age 8. Growing up in Portland, Oregon, Richards was able to thrive in a vibrant and supportive musical atmosphere, aided especially by the guidance of his father and teachers. At age 14, he produced and recorded his first album as a leader, comprised mostly of his own pieces and arrangements. Before entering college, DownBeat Magazine honored him with four prestigious student music awards, including Best Solo Instrumentalist ('04), Best Jazz Arrangement ('05/'06), and Best High School Ensemble ('07).

In 2009, Richards enrolled in Berklee College of Music where he received the Jimmy Lyons Scholarship, a distinction awarded each year to one music student in recognition of their outstanding talent. Since coming to Berklee, he has had the opportunity to study under many leading teachers and performers, including Terri Lyne Carrington, Hal Crook, Kevin Harris, Doug Johnson, Alain Mallet, and Danilo Pérez. In his short career, Richards has performed with Esperanza Spalding, Ben Wolfe, and Damian Erskine. Now, at age 21, Richards is a formidable performer, composer, and teacher in his own right, able to adapt to a wide range of settings, styles, and genres.

Looking to the future, Richards's foremost ambition is to perform and teach across the globe, learning from the vast, diverse cultures he is eager to encounter and assimilate into his own compositions and musical ideas. Above all, he is guided by his passion to learn and driven by his desire to grow, as he humbly remains a student of life and all its music.