Stephen Small
Stephen Small was born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1969. He studied piano at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) from 1987 to 1988 with Tamas Vesmas and subsequently at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London) with Nelly Ben-Or. Upon completion of classical piano studies in London he continued performing in the United Kingdom, in addition to working in recording studios with jazz and Pop/Rock groups, teaching the piano and keyboard, and playing with the swing/rockabilly band Marlene Lee and the Blue Dots.
During a period of return to New Zealand Stephen was engaged to record with Sonbol Taefi, on her album The Other Wing. At this fortuitous meeting a firm musical friendship was formed and there have been many exciting collaborations since, including performances in England, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and the production of a further three albums.
Stephen has performed and recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, New Zealand String Quartet, US pop icon Belinda Carlisle, many of New Zealand's foremost pop music stars.
Stephen returned permanently to New Zealand in 1998, and is married with two children. He completed a Master of Arts in Popular Musicology in 2002, is a full time lecturer in Popular Music and Jazz studies at the University of Auckland, and is studying for a Doctorate in Musical Arts.