Brian Billion

Dr. Brian Billion is a classical pianist originally from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he began piano lessons at the age of eleven under the tutelage of Julie-Melik Stepanov. He has won top prizes at national and international competitions, including 1st prize at the Lancaster International Piano Competition (2015), and the 1st Catholic University of America International Piano Competition (2014). Dr. Billion began studying under Dr. Ivo Klatchev in 2012 at The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. as the recipient of the Archdiocesan Scholarship, a full-tuition scholarship based on academic excellence. Upon graduation he received the special award from the School of Music faculty for Best Undergraduate Instrumentalist in the 2016 graduating class. In 2018 Dr. Billion completed his Master’s degree in Piano Performance at The Juilliard School in New York, studying with Hung-Kuan Chen. Recently, he received his Doctorate in Piano Performance with a Music Theory Minor from University of Minnesota (2025), under the tutelage of Alexander Braginsky. He now teaches a studio of competition-winning piano students in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, along with regularly performing classical piano recitals around the US. He has performed at such international venues as the Carnegie Hall (Weill Hall), Kennedy Center (Millennium Stage), Lincoln Center’s Paul Hall and Peter J. Sharp Theatre (NYC), the Cascais Cultural Center in Lisbon, Portugal, the Teatro Comunale Degli Industri in Grosseto, Italy, Mariahilferkirche in Vienna, Austria, The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery (DC), the Washington Pavilion (Sioux Falls), among many other venues around the US. Dr. Billion has a passion for musical education, both in teaching as well as in performing. Since 2015, his performances have very often included a spoken component to accompany the music. His desire is that by introducing and highlighting aspects of the music that are interesting, edifying, moving, and inspiring, he can spark new connections for the listener to the music, regardless of their familiarity with classical music. Using as inspiration the incredibly rich tradition of classical music, Brian has performed lecture-recitals highlighting in depth the music of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Schumann, Schubert, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Grieg, Scriabin, Tchaikovsky, among many other composers.