*Stephen Swedish* received his doctorate in music from Indiana University where his teachers included renowned artist teachers Menahem Pressler and Abbey Simon. He has served on the artist faculties of Texas Christian university (at the request of the legendary pianist Lili Kraus), the University of Maryland, and as artist-in-residence at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

Swedish is the pianist of the Kapell Trio, an ensemble which was formed to promote American chamber music and commission new American compositions. He has performed in recital throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Japan and South America, and has appeared as soloist with orchestras including the Milwaukee Symphony, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and the Haydn Festival Orchestra of Austria, among many others.

His recent tour as Artistic Ambassador for the United States included 28 performances in 33 days as well as master classes in Cyprus, Malta, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazahkstan, and is the subject of a just-completed book by Swedish.

While at Indiana University, he was invited by celebrated cellist Janos Starker to be his regular recital partner; together. Swedish and Starker have recorded for Mercury records and performed throughout the United States. Among the many artists with whom he has collaborated are violinists Josef Gingold, Eugene Fodor, the first American top prize winner in the International Tschaikovsky Competition in Russia, violist William Primrose and cellists Ronald Thomas, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, and Andre Emelianoff. He has appeared on numerous television programs including the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, the Merv Griffin Show, and others.

Swedish has recorded on the RCA Red Seal, Mercury and Gasparo labels.