Performance Calendar

Teaches

College
Jazz

About

Pianist and composer Isaiah J. Thompson (BM ’19, MM ’20, jazz studies), originally from West Orange, New Jersey, began studying with pianist Alla Epelbaum at the Calderone School of Music and Bob Mikula at an early age. He enrolled in Jazz House Kids and NJPAC Jazz for Teens and later studied at Juilliard. 

Thompson joined the John Pizzarelli Trio in 2019 and has performed with artists including Christian McBride, Steve Turre, Catherine Russell, and Buster Williams. Thompson made his recording debut on the Handful of Keys album with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and he has since released multiple recordings as a leader. 

Thompson worked on the Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack for the film Motherless Brooklyn, was named a Steinway Artist, and has been awarded other accolades including the 2018 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award and second place in the 2018 Thelonious Monk Competition. In 2023, he was named a winner at the American Pianists Awards and received the Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz from the American Pianists Association. In 2024, he joined the jazz studies faculty at Juilliard.

As a jazz musician and performer, Thompson aims to emit love, spirit, and respect and convey his personal experiences and passion for music through his artistry.