If you take a look a Pianist Tristan Paradee's list of accomplishments, you see a kaleidoscope of gorgeous colors.

Paradee has been a gold medal winner of the Young Artists World Piano Concerto Competition three times. He was once a flying elf in a Target commercial. For a time, he even practiced the Brazilian martial art capoeira. Now, he can add Performance Today Young Artist in Residence to his resume.

Tristan Paradee, a native of Los Angeles, fell in love with piano at a very young age after seeing American classical pianist André Watts on Sesame Street. Today, Paradee attends the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University where Watts is a distinguished professor.

By the time Paradee was 16 years old, he had already played with nine symphony orchestras. Paradee has won numerous awards for his piano playing. The most recent was 1st place in the Los Angeles Music Center “Spotlight” Awards in 2019.

In conversation, Paradee is humble, and some might even say, soft-spoken. But, when he sits down at a piano he fills the room with his presence. The joy and passion he has for music radiates. And, if you visit his website, you won’t find a full bio or a list of his accomplishments and awards. You’ll find this simple quote about his relationship with music: “Music takes me to a place where I am happy and free.”

Paradee is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in piano performance at Indiana University where he studies with Associate Professor of Music Roberto Plano.