Paul Barnes , Pianist

Praised by the New York Times for his “Lisztian thunder and deft fluidity," pianist Paul Barnes has electrified audiences with his intensely expressive playing and cutting-edge programming. He has been featured seven times on APM’s Performance Today and on the cover of Clavier Magazine with his recordings streamed worldwide.

Celebrating his thirty-two-year collaboration with Philip Glass, Barnes commissioned and gave the world premiere of Glass's Piano Quintet "Annunciation." The work is Glass's first piano quintet and first work based on Greek Orthodox chant. Barnes recording of the quintet with string quartet superstars Brooklyn Rider received critical acclaim.

Barnes is Marguerite Scribante Professor of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Glenn Korff School of Music. He was recently appointed Artistic Director of the Lied Center Piano Academy which welcomes several high-school pianists to Lincoln each summer for an intensive week of piano, composition, improvisation and collaboration. Barnes also teaches in Greece at the Piano Plus Summer Institute, where he also chants at at the cathedral.

Barnes recently released his 14th recording on Albany Records entitled Illumination: The Piano Works of Victoria Bond including the world-premiere recording of Illuminations on Byzantine Chant. He gave the world premiere performance of The Way of Mountains and Desert in New York by Native composer Ron Warren. The work explores Native themes of creation, love, and beauty. Barnes also collaborated with Hollywood film composer J.A.C. Redford on a new work inspired by the incarnational writing of Plato, Variations on the Incarnation, which was premiered in Houston. Barnes most recently collaborated with composer N. Lincoln Hanks on a new work based on the Greek and Arabic Orthodox resurrection hymn Hristos Anesti. The new work was premiered at Pepperdine University in February of 2025. Barnes served as artistic director of the 2026 American Liszt Society Festival held from Sept 28-30 at the Glenn Korff School of Music in Lincoln. The festival welcomed over 150 pianists from around the world and explored the theme of "Toward Re-enchantment: Beauty as a Portal to the Sacred."

Throughout 2027, Barnes will be commemorating the 90th birthday of his friend Philip Glass in a special program entitled "Philip Glass at 90" featuring the exuberant Four Movements for Two Pianos and the joyous Annunciation Piano Quintet. Barnes' recordings are available on Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, YouTube, and Amazon. He also serves as head chanter and choir director at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Lincoln.