Tanner Winchester 

Tanner Winchester began his piano studies with Sharon Cinq-Mars in 2004. Mrs. Cinq-Mars introduced an initially reluctant Tanner to the piano by introducing a letter tone each week and asking him to identify those tones in all of the piano's octaves. After completing these exercises, Mrs. Cinq-Mars asked Tanner whether he would like to begin formal studies with a booklet of piano compositions. He replied, "yes." After noting his success with these exercises, she asked Tanner whether he would be interested in participating in piano competitions. Tanner responded that he would be delighted. This proved to be the beginning of a highly successful competitive piano career. In 2008, Tanner was named the first-place winner of the Elementary Division of the Charlotte Piano Teachers' Forum Scholarship Auditions. In 2010, he was named the first-place winner in the Intermediate Division. Tanner was named 2nd Place Winner in the Charlotte Piano Teachers Forum in 2012. 

 

In 2010, 2011, and 2012, Tanner was awarded the first-place winner for the Robert Stigall Organ Scholarship through the American Guild of Organists, Charlotte Chapter. Tanner received additional organ scholarships from the Raleigh-Durham AGO chapter. During this time, Tanner presented regular recitals for the AGO and served as organist at McKee Road Baptist Church while also acting as a substitute for several larger churches in the Charlotte, NC, area.

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During the summer of 2015, Tanner was accepted into the International Young Artists program (IYAP) in Monte San Savino, Arezzo, Italy. During his time at IYAP, he studied intensively with pianists Francesco Attesti and Hector Moreno. He collaborated with maestro Federico Bardazzi of Florence, Italy, and Maestro Paolo Bellocci of Opera di Firenze.

 

In the spring of 2016, Tanner began recording a solo album of his various hymn arrangements. After many months of work and preparation, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" was published on August 26th.

 

In May of 2017, Tanner performed at the 500th anniversary of the reformation in Wittenburg, Germany.

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Tanner serves as a substitute Pianist, Organist, and Interim Music Director for numerous churches in North and South Carolina and as an accompanist for musicians in the North Carolina Symphony, the Durham Symphony, The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, and the Raleigh Flute Choir. Tanner also serves as accompanist for Theatre Raleigh and Fuquay-Varina High School.