Oh Little Town of Bethelem

Stan Breckenridge – composer, performer, recording artist, producer, author, and university lecturer – is a soulful singer and piano player reminiscent of the 1960s balladeers like Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, and Marvin Gaye. He began performing in the 1960s while in Jr. High School with a vocal group named The Sematics. He has performed internationally and domestically delighting audiences in cities in France, Hong Kong, Hungary, Japan, U.K., Poland, and many cities throughout the United States. Local domestic performances include venues like The Dorothy Chandler, The Greek Theater, The Los Angeles Forum, The Los Angeles Sports Arena, The Embassy Hotel, Capitol Records, and many others. Stan Breckenridge has appeared with and/or performed for personalities such as Bill Cosby, Sam Riddle, Rowan & Martin, Greg Morris, Bobby Blue Bland, David Ruffin (member of the Temptations), Martha Reeves (of the Vandellas), Moms Mabley, Nancy Sinatra, O. C. Smith, The Young Hearts, The Stylistics, The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Scott Baio, Rosie Grier, Merv Griffin, Jerry Lewis, Avery Schriber, John Travolta, John Wayne and many others. In addition to his current release titled This is My Song (2007), other recordings include Live in Poland (2006), Solo (2003), Meditations (2001), and Expositions (1999). A Christmas CD titled A Soulful Christmas is his latest release (October 2008).

Stan Breckenridge holds a Ph.D. in Musicology from the prestigious Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California. Selected as a United States Fulbright Scholar to Poland in 2005, Dr. Breckenridge lectured at institutions in Warszawa, Krakow, Lublin, Chelm, Pulawy, and Poznan. His selection was due in part to possessing a proven track record of educational excellence. Over the years his teaching experiences have spanned the curriculum: World Music, History of Jazz, Afro-American Music Appreciation, Western Music Appreciation, History of Rock, Basics of Music, Computer Applications in Music, Musicianship, Classical Piano, Pan-African Dance and Movement, Jazz/Commercial Keyboard Studio, Music Literature, Jazz Traditions, and various performance ensembles. These experiences encouraged the writing of two university textbooks Popular Music in America: Forging the American Spirit (pub. 2006) and African American Music for Everyone, now in its second edition (pub. 2004).

As a specialist in American music Dr. Breckenridge effectively combines his academic and music experiences in presenting engaging lectures at numerous conferences. His most recent presentation titled “African American Music as a Representation of American Identity” was held at The Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland on January 13, 2006. This presentation was sponsored by the joint efforts of the U.S. Embassy in Poland and the Music Academy in presenting the Embassy’s ongoing program titled “America Presents” that feature U.S. Fulbright Scholars. Other conference presentations have occurred in Hungary, France, throughout Poland and the United States.

To learn more, visit Stan Breckenridge’s website at http://stanbreckenridge.com