Duo Pianists / Composers / Educators

Kirk Whipple & Marilyn Morales, duo and solo pianists and composers, are on the Kennedy Center Approved Artist Roster-2000/04, State of Florida Touring Artists Roster - 2000/04, State of South Carolina Artists in Education Roster - 2000/04, State of Louisiana Touring Artists Roster - 2001/06, and are the Executive and Artistic Directors of The Unconservatory, a nonprofit musical organization. The two were married in a ceremony and concert performance that included the world premier of their original Concerto For Two Pianos and Orchestra. They have concertized extensively throughout the United States and abroad. On March 6^th, 2002 Whipple & Morales performed their original works for two pianos at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. This performance can be viewed by visiting the following link on the Kennedy Center web site:

International performances by Whipple and Morales include the 1996 Costa Rican National Telethon and the Univision network Spanish television show "Sabado Gigante Internacional." An estimated 180,000,000 people watched their two-piano performance and interview with celebrity host Don Francisco. Whipple and Morales were also the featured star performers at the 1995 National Mardi Gras Ball in Washington, D.C., which was attended by national and foreign dignitaries.

National releases by the duo include a book of 1 piano/4 hand holiday arrangements for beginning pianists entitled Christmas Treasures and, on Yamaha disklavier disk, The White Season, a recording of Whipple's holiday piano arrangements with Morales. Recent CD releases include Danzas Para Dos Pianos (Dances For Two Pianos) and Latin Lovers.

Kirk Whipple was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He received first prize in the 1996 (San Francisco) Bay Area Keyboard Artists Competition. He also was a first prize recipient in the National Young Artist Competition in Midland, Texas and has performed in solo recitals and concerts throughout the United States. He studied piano with Darlene Bradley-Garza, Frances Kelly and Mark Wetch. Other piano instructors include Roy Bogas, John Browning and James Barbagallo. Whipple studied harmony, composition and improvisation with W. A. Mathieu, and African drumming with Kwaku Daddy.

Whipple participated in the ninth Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, which was held in Moscow, and gave several performances in the Soviet Union during the summer of 1990. Other distinctions include "Best Classical Musician, 1989" and "Best Music Teacher, 1990" in the Sonoma County, California Art Awards. Recently Whipple has toured as pianist with The Harry James Orchestra, under the direction of Fred Radke.

Marilyn Morales, a native of Havana, Cuba, has performed in solo recitals and concerts throughout the United States. She has a Bachelor's degree in piano performance from Boston University and an Associate's degree from Miami Dade Community College. She studied piano with Maria Clodes Jaguaribe, Roy Bogas, Linda Byrd and Bela B. Nagy and has taken master classes with Michael Tilson Thomas and Claude Monteau. Morales has also studied harmony, composition and improvisation with W. A. Mathieu. Other music teachers include Robert Sirota and Richard Cornell.

A finalist in the Portland, Maine Symphony Piano Competition, Morales participated in the 1990 Jose Iturbi International Piano Competition, held in Valencia, and gave several performances in Spain. She is listed in "Quien Es Quien," the American Hispanic version of "Who's Who."