Strive for perfection, settle for excellence
— Personal Motto
 
 

            John-Micah Braswell is a pianist, collaborator, and vocal coach who has been making music in the greater Los Angeles community since 2019.  What began as an inadvertent foray into the world of new music has developed into a passion over the last years, and he is now in demand as a creator and advocate of contemporary compositions throughout Los Angeles and beyond.  In fall of 2021, John-Micah was hired as a coach at UCLA, and within a year took over the responsibilities of principal coach for multiple productions and coaching coordinator for the entire department.  His productions there include Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, Kay Rhie’s Quake, and Richard Danielpour’s The Grand Hotel Tartarus.  In 2023, John-Micah made his opera directorial debut, music directing a production of Douglas Moore’s Gallantry at USC.  Other credits include an international premiere of Uljas Pulkiss’s All The Truths We Cannot See: A Chernobyl Story and a production of Christoph Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice at USC, Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld with the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, a recording project with baritone Powell Brumm at the historic Tabor Opera House, an American song recital with Dr. Kerry Jennings at California State University Fullerton, a Classical Cabaret narrative song recital with soprano Julia Johnson, an updated diction guide for the Coptic text of Libbie Larsen’s The Magdalene, solo music videos for local composers Trevor Kowalski and Matt Smith, and multiple themed programs with Lyric Opera of Orange County and Opera Buffs.

            In 2021, John-Micah received a Master’s of Music in Keyboard Collaborative Arts at the University of Southern California under the instruction of Dr. Alan Smith.  Here, he received the Keyboard Collaborative Arts Department Award in addition to the prestigious Koldofsky Scholarship in recognition of his high academic and musical achievements.  Before USC John-Micah graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from Baylor University where he studied with Professor Jane Abbott-Kirk and was offered the “Outstanding Senior Man in the School of Music” award.

            John-Micah made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2019, performing Liszt’s La Campanella after winning the Semper Pro Musica competition.  Other honors include receiving 1st place at the Baylor Rising Stars, MTNA, Steinway, Loveland Orchestra, Denver Philharmonic Orchestra, Greeley Chamber Orchestra, and Baylor Summer Piano Institute competitions, 2nd place at the CSMTA competition, 3rd place at the Kawai, Yamaha, and Schmitt Music competitions, and being selected as a finalist in the Baylor Concerto Competition, Colorado Piano Festival, and Arthur Frasier International Piano Competition.  John-Micah has performed as a featured soloist with eight orchestras including the Colorado Symphony.

            In addition to his work within the opera world, John-Micah maintains a busy career as a teacher, conductor, recording engineer, and producer.  He instructs a studio of piano and production students, serves as an assistant music minister at Brentwood Presbyterian Church and primary music minister at All Saints Lutheran Church, and previously accompanied and assistant directed the Los Angeles Zimriyah Chorale and the Westchester Concert Singers.