Samuel Maddox

Samuel L. Maddox (b. May 2003) has been homeschooled since second grade. After starting piano lessons at age seven, by age ten, Sammy was playing pieces by Mozart, Brahms, Bach, Bartók, Clementi and Debussy in his own debut concert. Sammy has been called a “true artist” by Yamaha Artist Lara Downes and “the red-headed [Evgeny] Kissen” by Steinway Artist Dr. Bradley Bolen of Baylor University. Sammy’s honors include winning first place in the EPSMF Competition in El Paso twice (2017, 2019), first place (Junior Division) and then second place (Senior Division) in consecutive Baylor/Waco Piano Competitions (2018, 2019), second place in the El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestras Concerto Competition in El Paso, Texas (2020), second place in the Jackie McGehee Young Artists Concerto Competition in Albuquerque, New Mexico (2020), and third place in the II International Chopin Piano Competition in Vienna, Austria (2019). He also received an award for his performance of Messiaen’s “Spirit of Joy” at the Claudette Sorel International Piano Competition in Fredonia, New York (2018). And, in 2019, Sammy was one of twelve pianists worldwide selected to attend the Young Artist Summer Program at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and was invited to perform both at the PianoTexas Prepfest in Fort Worth, Texas and the V. Sarajishvili State Conservatoire in Tbilisi, Georgia (the country, not the State). Sammy was a student of Dr. Ezekiel Meza, Jr. of El Paso, Texas from May 2010 until May 2020, when he was accepted to attend the Colburn Music Academy in Los Angeles to continue his studies under the tutelage of the renowned Italian pianist, Fabio Bidini, and his colleague, Hye-Jin Kim. When not practicing piano or studying, Sammy enjoys reading the Bible, playing basketball, viewing the night sky with his telescope and spending time with his family.