Biography
Award winning Todd Wright is director of jazz studies at Appalachian State University. He has been responsible for conducting Jazz Ensemble I and II, and teaching courses such as jazz improvisation, jazz history, jazz piano, jazz tunes, and coaching combos. He oversees the course of study for the Jazz Certification Program, and created the university's Jazz Vocal Ensemble. He has earned degrees from University of Pikeville (KY), Appalachian State University, and University of South Florida (Tampa).
In 2013 Wright was nominated for O. Max Gardner Award, given annual by the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina to a faculty member who "has made the greatest contribution to the welfare of the human race." He has been the recipient of several university and community service awards, and was selected a winner of the Jazz Fellowship Award given by the North Carolina Arts Council.
He serves as a jazz clinician, an adjudicator ad festivals, and speaks on the history of jazz. He is an active jazz saxophonist. His Appalachian students have gone to perform worldwide.
He, in 2007, directed a European performance tour of Appalachian's Jazz Ensemble I to Germany, Switzerland, France, Liechtenstein, and Bavaria. A performance tour to Madrid, Spain, with an ASU student combo, followed in 2011. Wright directed a third performance tour (ASU Jazz Ensemble I) of Germany, Belgium, Holland, France, and Luxembourg in May 2013. IT was followed by the Jazz Ensemble's performances in Rome (May 2015). Wright conducted workshops in Alpirsbach, Germany in 2006. He was featured in Curitiba, Brazil (November 2013), during the premiere of Keith McCutchen's Jazz Vespers for Chorus, Soloist, Orchestra, and Jazz Quintet (with Camerata Antiqua de Curitaba). He also performed and led clinics at International Brazilian Workshop in Rio Preto in July 2014.
Wright has shared the stage or recorded with international jazz greats Phil Woods, Bob Mintzer, Scott Wendholt, Sheila Jordan, Benny Golson, Clark Terry, Eddie Daniels, Randy Brecker, James Williams, Peter Erskine, Lewis Nash, Wycliffe Gordon, Dr. Billy Taylor, Ingrid Jensen, Marcus Roberts, Jason Marsalis, Ernie Watts, Bill Watrous, Jon Faddis, Cyrus Chestnut, Allen Vizzutti, Bernard Purdie, Donald Brown, Duffy Jackson, Tony Monaco, Sam Rivers, Michael Mossman, Jeff Coffin, Louis Bellson, and others. He has shared the bandstand with entertainers Idina Menzel, Joe Williams, Rita Moreno, and others, and has opened for the world famous Dave Brubeck Quartet. He has performed internationally in the Caribbean, Mexico, Brazil, and several European countries.
As a studio musician Wright can be heard on numerous projects of other recording artists. His own debut recording, Begonia, was released in 1995, and Christmas Time Is Here followed in 1998. In February 2001 Reflections, a duo collaboration with New York recording artist Frank Kimbrough at the piano, was released. Two new CD projects, a standards album and one consisting primarily of originals, will soon be available.
Wright has performed on the east coast from Florida to Rhode Island. Along with the Unifour Jazz Ensemble he was chosen a winner of Downbeat Magazine's Gold Award at Music Fest in Chicago and has performed at Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. In addition to jazz festival participation Wright has performed for corporate and national events such as the United Way and the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. He has blown the saxophone for former president Bill Clinton and former vice-president Al Gore, and he has performed at a celebration event on an airplane at 37,000 feet.
Wright resides in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
In 2013 Wright was nominated for O. Max Gardner Award, given annual by the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina to a faculty member who "has made the greatest contribution to the welfare of the human race." He has been the recipient of several university and community service awards, and was selected a winner of the Jazz Fellowship Award given by the North Carolina Arts Council.
He serves as a jazz clinician, an adjudicator ad festivals, and speaks on the history of jazz. He is an active jazz saxophonist. His Appalachian students have gone to perform worldwide.
He, in 2007, directed a European performance tour of Appalachian's Jazz Ensemble I to Germany, Switzerland, France, Liechtenstein, and Bavaria. A performance tour to Madrid, Spain, with an ASU student combo, followed in 2011. Wright directed a third performance tour (ASU Jazz Ensemble I) of Germany, Belgium, Holland, France, and Luxembourg in May 2013. IT was followed by the Jazz Ensemble's performances in Rome (May 2015). Wright conducted workshops in Alpirsbach, Germany in 2006. He was featured in Curitiba, Brazil (November 2013), during the premiere of Keith McCutchen's Jazz Vespers for Chorus, Soloist, Orchestra, and Jazz Quintet (with Camerata Antiqua de Curitaba). He also performed and led clinics at International Brazilian Workshop in Rio Preto in July 2014.
Wright has shared the stage or recorded with international jazz greats Phil Woods, Bob Mintzer, Scott Wendholt, Sheila Jordan, Benny Golson, Clark Terry, Eddie Daniels, Randy Brecker, James Williams, Peter Erskine, Lewis Nash, Wycliffe Gordon, Dr. Billy Taylor, Ingrid Jensen, Marcus Roberts, Jason Marsalis, Ernie Watts, Bill Watrous, Jon Faddis, Cyrus Chestnut, Allen Vizzutti, Bernard Purdie, Donald Brown, Duffy Jackson, Tony Monaco, Sam Rivers, Michael Mossman, Jeff Coffin, Louis Bellson, and others. He has shared the bandstand with entertainers Idina Menzel, Joe Williams, Rita Moreno, and others, and has opened for the world famous Dave Brubeck Quartet. He has performed internationally in the Caribbean, Mexico, Brazil, and several European countries.
As a studio musician Wright can be heard on numerous projects of other recording artists. His own debut recording, Begonia, was released in 1995, and Christmas Time Is Here followed in 1998. In February 2001 Reflections, a duo collaboration with New York recording artist Frank Kimbrough at the piano, was released. Two new CD projects, a standards album and one consisting primarily of originals, will soon be available.
Wright has performed on the east coast from Florida to Rhode Island. Along with the Unifour Jazz Ensemble he was chosen a winner of Downbeat Magazine's Gold Award at Music Fest in Chicago and has performed at Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. In addition to jazz festival participation Wright has performed for corporate and national events such as the United Way and the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. He has blown the saxophone for former president Bill Clinton and former vice-president Al Gore, and he has performed at a celebration event on an airplane at 37,000 feet.
Wright resides in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.