Jon Schmidt

Jon Schmidt was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to German immigrants.{{cite web |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jon-schmidt-mn0000822206/biography |title=Jon Schmidt|first=Charlotte|last=Dillon|work=AllMusic|year=2017|accessdate=May 7, 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.heraldpalladium.com/features/the-piano-guys-are-doing-better-than-okay/article_a887dbc3-c1a2-543b-bb89-263946a8e655.html|title= The Piano Guys are doing better than 'Okay'|first=Jeremy D.|last=Bonfiglio|date=September 22, 2016|accessdate=May 4, 2017|work=The Herald-Palladium}} Both his paternal and maternal grandparents became members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Germany, and he is also a member of the church.

Schmidt was exposed to classical music at a young age. His father was an operatic tenor. His older sister, Rose-Anne, a virtuoso pianist, provided his classical training. Schmidt began appearing in piano recitals at the age of 8, was composing music by the age of 11,{{cite web |url=http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=273657|title=Band History|publisher=SoundClick|year=2017|accessdate=May 5, 2017}} and started teaching piano at age 16. However, he did not perform publicly until college.{{cite web|url=http://www.wsusignpost.com/2015/10/01/pianist-jon-schmidt-performs-at-lds-institute/|title=Pianist Jon Schmidt performs at LDS Institute|first=Pascal|last=Friedmann|date=October 1, 2015|accessdate=May 4, 2017|publisher=Weber State University|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229224625/http://www.wsusignpost.com/2015/10/01/pianist-jon-schmidt-performs-at-lds-institute/|archivedate=February 29, 2016}} As a student at Highland High School, he frequently played the piano at school assemblies and concerts.{{cite web|url=http://latterdaysentinel.com/2010/03/29/schmidt-brings-musical-gifts-to-inland-northwest/|title=Schmidt brings musical gifts to Inland Northwest|first=McKay|last=Allen|date=March 29, 2010|accessdate=March 8, 2017|work=Latter-Day Sentinel|archive-date=January 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124191603/http://latterdaysentinel.com/2010/03/29/schmidt-brings-musical-gifts-to-inland-northwest/|url-status=dead}} After graduation, he served on a mission to Norway, where he was known as the "mission piano player".

Schmidt was offered a music scholarship to the University of Utah, but decided to major in English instead. As he progressed in his undergraduate studies, he began thinking about pursuing a graduate degree in business administration. His career plans changed as he began performing in public.

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|quote=My whole goal is to have a good time. I can't take my music or myself too seriously. That's the problem sometimes with classical performers is they take themselves too seriously. I consider myself a rock pianist.

|source=–Jon Schmidt, 2010

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Schmidt initially played at benefit concerts and recorded his music for sale on cassette tape.{{cite web |url=https://huntsman.usu.edu/news_archive/Jon-Schmidt-of-The-Piano-Guys-Detai-20164|title=Jon Schmidt of The Piano Guys Details His Road to 217 Million YouTube Views|first=Klydi|last=Heywood|publisher=Utah State University|accessdate=May 4, 2017}} He then decided to promote himself by booking himself into large venues such as the Highland High School auditorium, which he filled with an audience of 1,000, and Kingsbury Hall, the largest performance venue in Salt Lake City, which he also sold out.

He released his first album, August End, in 1991. After that he signed with Aubergine Records and released A Walk in the Woods (1993), A Day in the Sunset (1994), and Jon Schmidt Christmas (1995). In 2000 he released To the Summit under his own label, JSP Productions.

By 2010 Schmidt was giving 100 concerts a year in the Wasatch Front metropolitan area of Utah, as well as in Arizona, Southern California, Idaho, and Washington state.

Schmidt has published seven piano books containing original scores. He has developed a "Ten Week Note-Reading Method" for adults and children.{{cite web|url=http://www.jonschmidt.com/catalog/ed_notereading.php|title=Ten Week Note-Reading Method|publisher=jonschmidt.com|accessdate=May 6, 2017|archive-date=January 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131130125/http://www.jonschmidt.com/catalog/ed_notereading.php|url-status=dead}}

{{main|The Piano Guys}}

Schmidt became a member of The Piano Guys in 2010. The group and its music video concept originated as the social media marketing strategy of Paul Anderson, owner of The Piano Guys piano store in St. George, Utah. Anderson knew Schmidt from the latter's visits to the store; Schmidt enjoyed practicing on the pianos in the showroom whenever he came to town. In 2009 Anderson saw a music video that Schmidt had uploaded to YouTube, "Love Story Meets Viva la Vida" – blending the Taylor Swift country pop "Love Story" with Coldplay's Baroque pop "Viva la Vida", which Schmidt performed as a duet with cellist Steven Sharp Nelson. The video collected over one million hits.{{cite web |url=http://www.yamahaentertainmentgroup.com/all-access/item/13-jon-schmidt-the-piano-guys-piano-guy|title=Jon Schmidt – The Piano Guys' Piano Guy|publisher=Yamaha Entertainment Group|accessdate=May 7, 2017}} Anderson suggested that he produce professional videos of the musicians performing and upload them to his store's YouTube channel.{{cite web |url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244389|title=How These Four Dads From Utah Quit Their Day Jobs to Make Millions on YouTube|first=Geoff|last=Weiss|date=March 27, 2015|accessdate=May 4, 2017|work=Entrepreneur}} Nelson brought his neighbor Al van der Beek, a songwriter and music arranger, onto the project, and Tel Stewart assisted with video production.{{cite web|last1=della Cava|first1=Marco R.|title=Web hit Piano Guys sign with Sony|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/news/story/2012-09-04/five-guys-web-sensation-sony/57590944/1|work=USA Today|accessdate=May 7, 2017|date=September 5, 2012}}

After producing a number of videos that failed to garner much interest, the group posted "Michael Meets Mozart" (2011), and Schmidt invited the nearly 30,000 people on his fan mailing list "to watch it and share it". Views took off beyond the region. The group continued to upload new videos for the next two years, gaining thousands of fans each time. The group signed with Sony Masterworks in 2012 and went on to release seven number-one albums. As of February 2024, the group has surpassed 2.3 billion views on their YouTube channel and have 7.09 million subscribers.{{cite web|url=https://www.troyrecord.com/lifestyle/review-a-mesmerizing-evening-with-the-piano-guys/article_2ff928b4-5cac-5723-b83a-be50394c77e9.html|title=Review: A mesmerizing evening with The Piano Guys|first=Stan|last=Hudy|date=August 8, 2018|accessdate=March 10, 2019|work=The Record|archive-date=June 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611231055/https://www.troyrecord.com/lifestyle/review-a-mesmerizing-evening-with-the-piano-guys/article_2ff928b4-5cac-5723-b83a-be50394c77e9.html|url-status=dead}}

Schmidt blends classical, pop, and rock and roll in his compositions.{{cite web |url=https://www.mormon.org/me/3czw|title=About Me|publisher=mormon.org|year=2017|accessdate=May 5, 2017}} He cites Beethoven, Mannheim Steamroller, Billy Joel, and Dave Grusin as musical influences.{{cite web|last1=Verdugo Morgan|first1=Alexa|title=The Piano Guys success spreads worldwide: Debut album, overseas appearances, US tour|url=http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2013/03/22/morgan-the-piano-guys-success-spreads-worldwide-debut-album-overseas-appearances-us-tour/#.U_5-vfldXuL|work=St George News|accessdate=May 7, 2017|date=March 22, 2013}} He also demonstrates a flair for the theatrical in his live solo performances, such as "playing an entire song while upside down, putting on a funky wig, playing with his toes and beat boxing".{{cite web |url=http://www.globeslcc.com/2010/01/27/jon-schmidt-new-age-composer-and-pianist/|title= Jon Schmidt: New age composer and pianist|first=Jamie|last=Wheeler|date=January 27, 2010|accessdate=May 4, 2017|publisher=Salt Lake Community College}}

Schmidt and his wife Michelle have five children and reside in St. George, Utah. In October 2016 their 21-year-old daughter Annie disappeared while hiking in Oregon. Her body was found the following month at the base of a cliff in the Columbia River Gorge; her death was ruled accidental.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7573723/piano-guys-jon-schmidt-missing-daughter-found-dead-hiking|title= Piano Guys' Jon Schmidt's Missing Daughter Found Dead|first=Colin|last=Stutz|date=November 14, 2016|accessdate=May 4, 2017|magazine=Billboard}}

• August End (1991)
• Walk in the Woods (1993)
• A Day in the Sunset (1994)
• Jon Schmidt Christmas (1995)
• To the Summit (2000)
• Winter Serenade (2004)
• Hymns Without Words (2006)
• Piano Portraits Lullaby (2009)
• Bonus Tracks (2009)

• Piano Portraits (2002) – solo performances by Schmidt, Paul Cardall, Michael R. Hicks, and David Tolk{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/piano-portraits-mw0001260052|title=Piano Portraits|first=Dacia A. |last=Blodgett-Williams|publisher=AllMusic|year=2017|accessdate=May 21, 2017}}
• Pure Touch: Vol. 1 (2008) – with Matt Bachrach and Craig Linder{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/pure-touch-mw0001300710 |title=Matt Bachrach / Craig Linder / Jon Schmidt: Pure Touch|publisher=AllMusic|year=2017|accessdate=May 21, 2017}}

• Hits Volume 1 (2011)
• The Piano Guys (2012)
• The Piano Guys 2 (2013)
• A Family Christmas (2013)
• Wonders (2014)
• Live!: Carnegie Hall Audio + Red Rocks Concert Video (2015)
• Uncharted (2016)
• Christmas Together (2017)
• Limitless (2018)
• 10 (2020)

• {{cite book|title=67 Fun Songs: Arrangements for Easy Piano Songbook |year=2003}}
• {{cite book|title=New Age Classical Piano Solos|year=1996|publisher= Aubergine Records}}
• {{cite book|title=New Age Classical Piano Solos|volume=II|publisher= Aubergine Records}}
• {{cite book|title=New Age Classical Piano Solos|volume=III|edition=Revised}}
• {{cite book|title=New Age Classical Piano Solos| volume=IV|edition=Revised}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P9hAN-teOU “Waterfall (Jon Schmidt Original) – The Piano Guys” (video)]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fAZIQ-vpdw “All of Me (Jon Schmidt original tune) – The Piano Guys” (video)]

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Category:1966 births

Category:Living people

Category:New-age pianists

Category:American Latter Day Saints

Category:American people of German descent

Category:University of Utah alumni

Category:Musicians from Salt Lake City

Category:People from Bountiful, Utah

Category:20th-century American pianists

Category:American male pianists

Category:21st-century American pianists

Category:20th-century American male musicians

Category:21st-century American male musicians