Roger Wright

Roger Robinson ("Trey") Wright III (born April 1, 1974 [Harris County, Texas, [http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tx/harris/vitals/births/1974/harrb74u.txt births database] ] ) is an American classical concert pianist. He is also a Scrabble player who won the United States National Scrabble Championship in 2004.

Early life and musical training

Roger Wright was born in Houston, Texas [Harris County, Texas, [http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tx/harris/vitals/births/1974/harrb74u.txt births database] ] , the son of Roger Wright, Jr., and Christy (Schmidt [Harris County, Texas, [http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tx/harris/vitals/marriages/1971/harrm71s.txt marriages database] ] ) Wright. He began piano study at age 12. ["To Mom, with love" by Tim Madigan, "Fort Worth Star-Telegram", 28 May 2001] During high school he studied with Houston teacher John Weems. At 18 Wright made his concerto debut with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. ["Pianist Wright back in town" by Jennifer Roolf Laster, "San Antonio Express-News", 1 April 2004]

Wright entered the piano program at the University of Houston, where he continued his studies with Nancy Weems, Ruth Tomfohrde, Abbey Simon, and Horacio Gutiérrez, and earned his Bachelor of Music degree. During this time he won second prize in the 1996 (U.S.) Music Teachers National Association Piano Competition, College Division. Wright remained in Houston for graduate study, earning his Master of Music degree as a student of John Perry at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music; he would later do doctoral work with Perry at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. [World Concert Artist Directory (link [http://www.concertartist.info/IMCA/WRI001.html] ), retrieved 11/28/2007]

Piano career

Wright has been a prizewinner in several international competitions, including first prizes in the 1998 Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition [World Concert Artist Directory (link [http://www.concertartist.info/IMCA/WRI001.html] ), retrieved 11/28/2007] and the 2003 San Antonio International Piano Competition. [San Antonio International Piano Competition (link [http://www.saipc.org/piano_competition/history/former_winners.htm] ), retrieved 11/28/2007.] His performance in the 2000 Sydney International Piano Competition led to a recording contract with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ["ROGER WRIGHT, PIANO MASTERPIECES (ABC CLASSICS)" by John Bell Young, "St. Petersburg Times", 4 March 2001 (link [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/69374467.html?dids=69374467:69374467&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+4%2C+2001&author=GINA+VIVINETTO%3BHELEN+A.S.+POPKIN%3BSCOTT+PALMER%3BJOHN+BELL+YOUNG&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=8.F&desc=AUDIO+FILES+Series%3A+AUDIO+FILES] ), retrieved 11/28/2007] He has performed as a soloist in North America, Australia, Europe, and Africa. He has issued several recordings (see "Discography"). Wright has been the featured performer on national radio broadcasts by ABC Australia and CBC Radio Canada, as well as local programs on 105.1 K-Mozart in Los Angeles and WQXR in New York City. [World Concert Artist Directory (link [http://www.concertartist.info/IMCA/WRI001.html] ), retrieved 11/30/2007] Critical praise for Wright's piano playing has appeared in publications including "The Washington Post", "Clavier", "American Record Guide", and the "Houston Chronicle". [Ronald Broun, "The Washington Post", 13 March 2001; excerpted on [http://www.wright-sounds.com/WSpress.htm Wright's website] ] ["Clavier", February 1999; excerpted on [http://www.wright-sounds.com/WSpress.htm Wright's website] ] [John Bell Young, "American Record Guide", March/April 1999; excerpted on [http://www.wright-sounds.com/WSpress.htm Wright's website] ] ["Gone pro: Three Houston proteges return to showcase talents in concert," "Houston Chronicle", 19 November 2002]

In addition to his solo performances, Wright has toured internationally with the comedian harmonists Hudson Shad and appeared with them on PBS, and has co-produced a recording of "Enoch Arden" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and Richard Strauss, collaborating with actor Michael York and pianist John Bell Young. [World Concert Artist Directory (link [http://www.concertartist.info/IMCA/WRI001.html] ), retrieved 11/28/2007] Wright currently resides in the Los Angeles, California, area, where he performs as a soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist, teaches both collegiately and privately, and composes.

crabble career

Wright began playing Scrabble at 17 and has competed in U.S. national tournaments since 1998. ["Music Student is S-E-R-I-O-U-S About Scrabble" by David Kaplan, "Rice News", 25 February 1999 (link [http://www.media.rice.edu/media/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=3432&SnID=2] ), retrieved 11/30/2007] He won the $25,000 first prize in the National Scrabble Championship of the United States in 2004, defeating former champion David Gibson in the final round. [2004 National SCRABBLE Championship (link [http://scrabbleassociation.com/tourneys/2004/nsc/build/photo/19/index.html] ), retrieved 11/30/2007] During the 2004 finals a controversy arose as the result of a Scrabble play by Wright. He placed the word "LEZ" (slang for "lesbian") on the board but was compelled by tournament and television network officials to remove it in the interest of political correctness and play a different word. The incident was widely reported in the media, including on the BBC ["TV Scrabble ruling lost for words," BBC News, 6 August 2004 (link [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3542570.stm] ), retrieved 11/28/2007] and in "USA Today". ["Three-letter word sparks ESPN Scrabble scramble," "USA Today", 6 August 2004 (link [http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2004-08-06-scrabble_x.htm] ), retrieved 11/28/2007]

As of March 2008, Wright was tied for 920th among North Americans in career tournaments played (20 career games minimum), with 50. [North American Scrabble Leaders (link [http://www.cross-tables.com/leaders.php?s=ty] ), retrieved 03/02/2008] He ranked 11th in career money winnings, with $41,584. [North American Scrabble Leaders (link [http://www.cross-tables.com/leaders.php?s=pm] ), retrieved 03/02/2008]

Discography

*"Roger Wright: Piano Masterpieces". Eloquence 461 657-2. (2000). Radio airplay of one selection on this CD, Peter Sculthorpe's "Between Five Bells," earned Sculthorpe the Australasian Performing Right Association’s (APRA) Award for the Most Performed Contemporary Classical Composition of 2001.
*"Enoch Arden" by Richard Strauss and Alfred, Lord Tennyson, with Michael York, narrator, and John Bell Young, piano. Co-produced by Wright. Americus Records AMR20021025. (2002)
*"Roger Wright: Miniatures". Wright Sounds. (2002)
*"Roger Wright in Concert". Wright Sounds. (2005)
*"Evocations". Wright Sounds. (2007)

References

External links

* [http://www.wright-sounds.com Roger Wright] Official website
* [http://cross-tables.com/results.php?p=730 Trey Wright] Scrabble Profile and History