Introspections LIVE was recorded on Friday, February 26, 2010 at Columbia University's Miller Theatre and it is a collection of the most memorable moments of my life that have shaped my musical artistry. Introspections LIVE features songs from my childhood, songs I heard growing up in church, songs I composed and wrote in the broken places of my life thru music from various seasons of my development as a musician, artist and human being. The project is inspirational and is expressed in several different genres including jazz, classical and gospel. Several stellar artists and special guests came out that evening and are featured on the double disc project including: Bishop Iona Locke, Kenneth Whalum III (saxophone), Ali Jackson (drums), Dezron Douglas (upright bass), Tekesha Russell, Charles Wesley Evans, Audrey Dubois Harris, Chenee Campbell, Chorale Le Chateau, Timiney Figueroa-Caton, David Bratton (organ), Jermaine Parrish (drums), Brian Cockerham (bass), Leon Lacey (acoustic guitar), Rev. Darius Thomas, Cherub Ruth, Arcell Vickers (organ), Melonie Daniels, Anaysha Figueroa, San Franklin, Bettina Pennon, Nikki Ross, George Huff and The Levites (Cassondra Kellam, La Shaye Paschal, Chenee Campbell, Melaine Rochford, Tiffany Stevenson, Cherub Ruth, Darius Thomas, Linny Smith & Djore Nance). Introspections is a different kind of project from the status quo. The impetus and desire was to capture the essence of worship in music during a specific time - Friday, February 26, 2010 at Columbia University's Miller Theatre. There are NO overdubs, NO sampled sounds, NO synthesized instrumentation and NO programmed rhythmic beats. In the midst of technological innovation, this project aims to mirror the very environment that one finds themselves in at times of INTROSPECTION - alone, in solitude and without extemporaneous accoutrements. In the words of the co-producer, Jeff Jones (The Jedi Master), "The most important thing to remember is that a 'live mix' embodies the energy of the night in spite of its mix problems. In spite of technology there is no way to recreate this mix and its effects to the psyche are subtle but powerful. It's a deeply sensitive thing. When possible it's better to add missing elements to this exact mix that will maintain the imprint of the soul of the evening's experience; all the souls who participated, which is a very important thing. The mistakes actually add personality. The deficiencies which make the picture imperfect are part of the frame of a vignette through which we experience the unfolding story. The excitement of the story unfolding is what we seek in the listening experience. It makes us want to listen again and again." A sought after pianist, organist, vocal coach, conductor, composer, arranger, lecturer and producer is a native of Augusta, Georgia and graduate of John S. Davidson Fine Arts School. Damien has studied at some of the finest conservatories and universities including Howard University (Bachelor of Music – Piano Performance), the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, New York University (Master of Music: Music – Music Technology: Scoring for Film and Multimedia), the Manhattan School of Music and the Christian Bible Institute and Seminary (Honorary Doctorate of Sacred Music). Damien Sneed’s professional affiliations have included the City University of New York (CUNY) as a professor of music, The Juilliard School as a staff accompanist, the Martina Arroyo Foundation as an artistic consultant, Jazz at Lincoln Center as an artistic consultant and YAMAHA endorsed as an Influential Artist. Damien recently completed his first LIVE recording project, Introspections, at Columbia University’s Miller Theater towards the end of February 2010. The project, which takes the listener on a musical journey through his development as a performer includes classical, jazz and gospel music. Introspections will be released January 2011. Mr. Sneed’s classical piano debut at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall was on Saturday, March 13, 2010 where he was featured as a soloist, accompanied a violist from the faculty of New England Conservatory and he also collaborated with a young, rising operatic soprano from Serbia, Dusica Bijelic. On Monday, November 22, 2010 his Avery Fisher Hall debut will take place as he accompanies Jessye Norman for a gala performance. Damien Sneed’s conducting debut took place in April 2008 at Jazz at Lincoln Center where he conducted the world premiere of Wynton Marsalis’ Mass, a composition almost 2 hours in length, for the entire Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and a 150-voice choir. Those performances were aired on NBC, LIVE on XM Satellite Radio internationally and on WBGO in the New York City Area respectively. His compositional debut took place in June 2008 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center where he performed with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra along with American Idol Finalist Anwar Robinson and conductor Thomas Wilkins including a piece that arranged and scored for the entire 64- piece orchestra. Damien performed and participated in “A Celebration of America” in the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater on Monday, January 19, 2009, the eve of President Barack Obama’s Inauguration and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The event was hosted by Angela Bassett, Courtney Vance, Wynton Marsalis and retired US Supreme Court Chief Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Damien Sneed performed along with guest artists including Dianne Reaves, Cassandra Wilson, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Jessye Norman, Dave Brubeck, Paquito D’Rivera, Roy Haynes, Wynton Marsalis, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and many more. Damien has the ability to shift between different musical genres and styles; from classical to jazz to gospel to opera to Broadway and more. For example, on February 11, 2009, Damien Sneed accompanied Jessye Norman on piano with 5 spirituals chosen by Ms. Norman that he arranged in honor of Abraham Lincoln’s Bicentennial at the Grand Opening of Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Other guest artists for the evening included George Lucas, James Earl Jones, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Joshua Bell, Audra McDonald, and Jeffrey Wright. Then one week later, on February 18, 2009, Damien conducted and arranged music for a combined orchestra of The Juilliard School & Manhattan School of Music students at Manhattan School of Music’s Borden Auditorium commemorating Black History Month. Damien was recently nominated for a Grammy Award in the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards for Album of the Year in the Traditional Gospel music category for his work as co-producer, vocal arranger, background vocalist, music director and keyboard player on Vickie Winans newest project, How I Got Over. The album was also received two Stellar Awards. Damien Sneed has served as Music Director for the following artists in the gospel music arena – Karen Clark-Sheard, Vickie Winans, Nikki Ross, Twinkie Clark, Melonie Daniels, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Kierra Sheard, the Clark Sisters, Richard Smallwood, Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp and others. In other genres, Damien has been afforded the opportunity to perform with many other musical legends and entertainment moguls such as Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, David Sanborn, Kenny Burrell, Hezekiah Walker, American Idol’s Fantasia Barrino, George Huff & Anwar Robinson, Ashford & Simpson, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Minneapolis Symphony, Darin Atwater & Soulful Symphony, Lorna Myers, Opera Ebony, Opera Noire, Wycliffe Gordon, Eric Reed, the Boys Choir of Harlem, the Oakwood College Aeolians and many other notable world- class performers. Damien Sneed’s musical prowess has allowed him to be featured in Europe, Japan, the U.S. Virgin Islands, South America and over 42 states in the US. He has recorded and produced several internationally distributed projects along with Grammy-Award winning artists.