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| Biography |
Pianist Lois Vaughan has been performing professionally in the Southeastern New England area for over 24 years. Her repertoire is broad, encompassing jazz, Latin & standards, classical music, and music for dancing (includes swing, classic rock, disco, reggae & Motown). She plays solo piano, as well as working with ensembles ranging in size from a duo to 6- to 8-piece bands. Performances include concerts, school programs, background music for restaurants and hotels, and music for special events from weddings and private parties to corporate receptions and state dinners. She and her jazz groups are currently playing regularly at the Rhumbline Restaurant and the Hotel Viking, both in Newport RI.
Lois was featured in an extensive article entitled 'Following Her Own Score' in the Sunday Providence Journal (January 11, 2004) about what it's like to be self-employed as a fulltime jazz musician. She was also featured in a June 18, 2008 article in Newport This Week entitled 'Musician Takes the Stage All Over Newport', and an August 8-9, 2009 Community Profile article in the Newport Daily News entitled 'In Tune With Her Calling'.
Ms. Vaughan grew up in Western New York, studying classical piano with Harold Bradley. She has a degree in biology from Cornell University, as well as a fine arts degree in jazz studies with highest honors from Community College of Rhode Island. She also attended the Chaloff School of Music in Boston, and studied jazz piano privately with Harvey Diamond for many years.
While at CCRI, Ms. Vaughan played piano in the Community College All-Stars’ Big Band at the International Association of Jazz Educators’ Annual Conference in Anaheim CA. She was also the recipient of CCRI’s Piano Scholarship, and the 1999 Outstanding Jazz Studies Graduate Award.
She was the organist/keyboard player at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Newport for six years, providing the music for Sunday services, playing their historic tracker pipe organ, and organizing special services in jazz, gospel, classical, and bluegrass music. She is currently the music director - encompassing performance and choir direction - at the Westport Point Methodist Church in Westport Point, Massachusetts.
In addition to performing, Ms. Vaughan teaches private piano lessons at her home, and jazz piano/improvisation at St. George's School.
She is a member of the City of Newport's Tree and Open Space Commission, the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, and the American Federation of Musicians.
Ms. Vaughan lives in Newport with her husband Richard Eberhard, a marine woodworker, furniture maker, and sailboat racer (classic wood circa 1946 32' Kettenburg PC); and Fred, a very handsome cat.
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