Luke Riches Bio
Luke began his music career at 16 by teaching himself piano and discovered a new world of expression. Continuing on this early momentum he pursued a Bachelors in Music at Saint Mary’s College of California with a focus in piano and music composition. During these four years he had numerous performances of his original compositions and a commission from the Diablo Valley Wind Symphony. He had the pleasure of working with musicians from the San Francisco Opera and other notable local musicians. In 2012, he was invited by the Atlantic Music Festival to write a classical contemporary composition in Waterville, Maine.
Upon completing his Bachelors, Luke moved to Wichita to pursue a Masters in Music Theory and Composition studying under Dr. Aleks Sternfield-Dunn. He finished his degree by writing a Piano Concertino, Transcendant Capriccio, for his Masters thesis. Following the advice of his teacher he decided to complete a Masters in Piano Pedagogy so he could share his love and passion for music. During these two years he was employed as the Graduate Teaching Assistant where he taught, Music Theory I-IV, Aural Skills I-IV, Music History, Class Piano, and private piano lessons.
Luke believes in discovery learning where he can ask guided questions so his students can discover the answers for themselves. He believes everyone can learn something from music and that it is the main force that can bring a community together where they all can collectively share a moment in human expression.