SUNDAY AUGUST 2, 2010 5pm~7pm

Short  Biography of Craig Knudsen:

Few keyboardists can claim to be a one-time featured attraction on the Universal Studios tour in Hollywood, CA, an imaginative creator of software for high-tech musical instruments, and the subject of a case study at Harvard Business School. But not many keyboardists have a resume that reads like that of Craig Knudsen.

Knudsen was a featured attraction at Universal Studios where he gave as many as 34,000 people a day a behind-the-scenes look at how soundtracks could be made using Yamaha equipment. In addition, Knudsen was the Music Director for the gala ceremonies for the grand opening of the Universal Studios complex in Orlando, Florida, sharing the stage with Steven Spielberg, Michael J. Fox and Jimmy Stuart. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in March, 1992.

Currently referred to on YAMAHA USA website as “one of YAMAHA’s top innovators in the area of music software and technology�, Knudsen is uniquely qualified to create excitement about the remarkable new instruments available today. He has created software that, when used with such instruments as the Disklavier reproducing piano and Clavinova digital pianos, makes playing and enjoying a musical instrument much more accessible to the average person.

Knudsen developed the “Follow Lights� software that perfected the unique keyboard lighting system featured on Clavinova digital pianos. This system teaches beginners how to play songs on the piano by turning on a light over the key to be played and waiting until that note has been played before the software creates a wonderful reward accompaniment. Knudsen also developed several other software sensations, including the “StarLIGHTS Series� for Clavinova, “Kooky Karaoke� Vocal Harmony software, “CueTIME� tempo control software, and “SmartKey� for Disklavier.

For the past 23 years, Knudsen has consulted on the design of new Yamaha instruments and lesson programs. Knudsen co-created the Clavinova Connection along with renowned neouroimmunologist Barry Bittman and Recreational Music-Making founder Karl Bruhn. For this program, Knudsen developed a patent using “SmartLIGHTS� technology, that uses guide lamps to teach music from one Yamaha keyboard to another, either in the same room or in different cities via the Internet.

Most recently, Knudsen helped Disney create two new shows for their $15 million dollar

renovation of Tomorrowland in Anaheim, CA, that features the YAMAHA Disklavier, Clavinova Digital Piano and several other YAMAHA instruments.

For YAMAHA dealers, Knudsen is comfortable conducting traditional piano teacher seminars, beginner user’s groups and advanced technology seminars. In addition, he can professionally present YAMAHA instruments in TV interviews to thousands at a time and yet enjoys working one-on-one with prospective YAMAHA customers.

Despite his busy schedule, Knudsen also finds time to serve on the board of two non-profit organizations including the Desert Music Foundation and the new Kaye Ballard Playhouse in Southern California. He lives in Palm Desert, California and Hayward, Wisconsin.