Festival director Steve Snyder is a pianist and organist who maintains an active playing schedule locally, nationally and internationally. Snyder was selected as one of 66 pianists from all over the world to compete in the Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition, which was held in Paris, France, in October 2002.听听

He has performed in France, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Sweden, Denmark, Taiwan, as well as throughout the U.S. and Canada. A partial list of notable performances includes Randy Brecker, Jerry Bergonzi, Jonathan Kreisberg, Dave Stryker, Bobby Broom, Victor Goines, Landau Eugene Murphy Jr., Dick Sisto, Eric Alexander, Mace Hibbard, Brannen Temple, Efraim Owens, Art Gore, Brad Goode, Jeremy Long, Robben Ford, and Chris Maresh. His work as an organist and pianist is documented on 20 recordings found on various independent releases since 1992.

The听Austin Chronicle听has called his work 鈥渟uperb.鈥澨�Seemagazine.com听describes 鈥渋ncredible solos...particularly from the not-so-surprisingly sensational Steven Snyder.鈥� And Fran莽ois van de Linde, writing for UK鈥檚听Jazz Journal, says his 鈥渟ound is modern and his lines are balanced like the sentences from a Hemingway story. He is rooted in the modern jazz tradition of pioneers Larry Young and Don Patterson and their disciples as Arno Krijger and Brian Charette.鈥澨�

Prof. Snyder holds a D.M.A. degree in piano performance (jazz emphasis) from The University of Texas at Austin, along with an M.M. and B.M. in jazz studies from the University of North Texas, where he was a member of the 1:00 Lab Band appearing on four recordings over a two-year period. He also has appeared on recordings with Randy Brecker, Dave Stryker, Robben Ford, Jonathan Kriesberg, Kenny Phelps, Joel Tucker, Brannen Temple, Mace Hibbard, Chris Maresh and many others. Read more about Steve Snyder听here.听