Gary Norian has been playing piano for over 45 years.

Classically trained, Gary switched to jazz piano in high school, and pursued the study of studio music and jazz in college at the University of Miami in Florida.
After college, he toured with Arista recording artists Expose for their 1989-90 world tour.

Heading back to his home town of Chicago, Gary worked as a composer/producer of commercial music for radio and television,
with hundreds of national and local spots to his credit. All the while, he continued to perform jazz throughout the city.
In 1999, he moved to Houston with his wife and began a thriving teaching practice where his students include beginners of all ages as well as professionals who come to Gary
for specific instruction in the areas of classical, jazz, pop, other contemporary piano styles. 

Gary has helped prepare numerous young pianists for audition and acceptance to Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.
Consequently, he has gone on to help these students gain admission to Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, New School, UT, and North Texas. 

Still continuing to compose, Gary has music tracks regularly appearing on Oprah Winfrey's OWN channel, and the Dr. Oz show.

As a jazz specialist, Gary is called upon by the Houston Symphony to perform with them on several pops performances each year. 
Guest artists on these shows include Megan Hilty, Bernadette Peters, Tony nominated Montego Glover, and Tony DeSare.

Gary's piano work and compositions can be heard on the CDs "Trust in Me," with Yvonne Washington,
and "A Night Like This," with vocalist Bryan Anthony, Heart First, a solo piano CD,
Pots and Kettles w/Woody Witt, and Revealed, featuring Houston Tenor, Ken Gayle. All are available on iTunes. 

Gary is currently working with Kawai teacher and colleague, Omar Herrera towards completion of their "Radical Piano Program,"
a new method for young beginners that will dramatically increase learning speed and confidence through musical literacy. 

Gary's primary goal is to inspire an excitement for learning which helps light the student's own passion for music.
It is of the utmost importance to learn to enjoy the effort of practice as much as the achievement of goals. The joy of music can be felt at every point in the process! 

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