Seipp / Kasparian Duo
Trumpet and Piano
Engaging ~ Innovative ~ Entertaining ~ Virtuosic ~ Diverse
A Unique Concert Blend Of Music And Video
The Seipp/Kasparian Trumpet & Piano Duo is unlike any ensemble performing today. Custom musical arrangements of virtuoso, beautiful, entertaining, humorous, and patriotic selections enhance the exquisite blend of their instruments. Coupled visually with specialized videos, Seipp and Kasparian craft a unique and engaging concert experience for all ages, creating extraordinary connection with their audiences. The duo’s thoughtful programming, artistic arrangements and powerful, innovative, and interactive video presentations make the Seipp/Kasparian Duo today’s musicians to watch.
Trumpeter Chuck Seipp and pianist Raffi Kasparian are two performers at the top of their craft. Both are high-profile musicians in their own right. Dr. Kasparian, is Sergeant First Class retired and former pianist for The United States Army Chorus and The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own”, in Washington DC. Dr. Seipp is Sergeant Major retired from The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, DC. The Seipp/Kasparian Duo are actively concertizing and thrilled for each opportunity to perform concerts to enthusiastic audiences across America.
Trumpeter Chuck Seipp culminated his 32-year career from The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own,” as Concert Band Group Leader. Sergeant Major Seipp performed at national, presidential, and historical world events, at concerts and special events in Washington, D.C., and for funerals and wreath-laying ceremonies in Arlington National Cemetery. He performed with the Concert Band, Orchestra, Ceremonial Band, Herald Trumpets, The Army Brass Quintet, and was a featured soloist.
Chuck has toured and recorded throughout Europe with world–renowned organist Diane Bish, appearing regularly on her “Joy of Music” television series. As an active teacher, soloist, clinician, and performer, he has performed locally with the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington Opera House Orchestra, Washington Ballet Orchestra, and Washington Bach Consort. He also leads and is active throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region with The Commonwealth Brass Quintet.
Through CJ Seipp Music Publications, he markets his own brass arrangements, many of which have been played and recorded by the Canadian Brass Quintet, The U.S. Army Brass Quintet, among many others. Chuck’s recording project of The Wedding Book is a collection of his arrangements has proven to be a valuable resource for organists and trumpeters nationally and internationally.
Chuck’s recent years passion has been managing, promoting, and performing with the Seipp/Sheets Trumpet & Organ Duo as well as the Seipp/Kasparian Trumpet & Piano Duo. From recording projects to travels across the country, these duos take performances to unprecedented entertaining and musical heights through all styles of specialized arrangements synchronized to captivating and moving videos.
He served on faculty as adjunct professor of trumpet at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, from 2013-2019 and visiting professor of trumpet at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, from 2012-2013. Chuck, Yamaha Performing Artist, holds an undergraduate music education degree from The University of Kansas and master’s and doctoral degrees in trumpet performance from The Catholic University of America.
Pianist Raffi Kasparian’s passion for the piano was ignited at age 14 after hearing a recording of Josef Hofmann playing piano concertos by romantic era composers. He soon commenced serious piano lessons. Within a year of picking up the piano, he was already playing pieces that pianists who start at a much younger age typically take years to advance to. At age 16, he went to college to double-major in math and music. After a semester, it became obvious that piano performance was his calling. Kasparian obtained his bachelor’s degree in music from California State University at Northridge in 1982, his master’s degree from the Peabody Conservatory in 1984, and his doctorate in piano performance from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1988. He later continued with post-doctoral studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Dr. Kasparian gives solo and collaborative recitals throughout the United States, Canada and the Philippines. His solo piano repertoire includes standard classical piano compositions by Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Kabalevsky and other well-known composers, as well as his own original compositions and arrangements of well-loved popular and church music in the classical style. He also plays chamber music with accomplished instrumentalists and choral ensembles, as well as piano concertos with noted orchestras.
Dr. Kasparian retired on February 28, 2015 from the United States Army after serving 24 years as pianist for The United States Army Chorus, the vocal counterpart of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own”, based at Fort Myer near Washington, D.C. One of the nation’s only professional all-male choruses, the Army Chorus frequently performed at the White House, the Capitol, the Kennedy Center and other well-known concert halls around the United States. In addition to Kasparian’s performing schedule, he composes and arranges piano and choral music, as well as coaches advanced piano students.
After establishing his music career, Kasparian indulged in his love of math by programming games on the Macintosh computer. From Pascal to C to C++ and finally Java, he honed his programming skills with fun projects that employed geometric concepts and game theory. Serendipitously, he landed a job as a software engineer for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). He also co-authored the book Java for Artists, widely used by programming professionals. Raffi is happily married and lives with his family in Northern Virginia.