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Dehner Franks
Songwriter, Musician, Musical Director and Teacher
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 Dehner Franks is an accomplished Songwriter, Musician, Musical Director and Teacher. He began his college education at Clackamas Community College in Clackamas, Oregon. He then attended Portland State University for 1 year eventually moving to Seattle, Washington to complete his education at the University of Washington earning a double degree (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies) in 1995.
Since then Dehner has performed as a professional pianist in diverse musical situations. In 2004 Dehner wrote an original score for a musical for the West Las Vegas Arts Center entitled "Take Me To The Water". Dehner wrote the entire score, including the lyrics. The performance was so well received that the director (Walter Mason, former Production Manager for Sammy Davis, Jr.) asked Dehner to write a second score to a play written by James Baldwin. This second play, "Amen Corner" was performed in Las Vegas in December 2004 and was very well received. His song "Help Me To Stand" from the musical stirred the audiences. Many people have proclaimed that this song is destined for greatness. Also in 2004 he performed at a private reception for Nevada Senator, Harry Ried performing his rousing version of patriotic themes. In February Dehner will write several original pieces to celebrate the 100th birthday of Las Vegas. His original music will be heard at the West Las Vegas Theater. Dehner was commissioned by the Nordstrom Corporation to record, produce and arrange the music for their holiday CD; 'Holiday Lights'. Dehner has also performed many special music projects for Nordstrom, including a performance on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange!
Some of the highlights of his career include performing a solo piano concert in 2001 at an International Ballroom Dancing Competition from the Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia where Franks performed piano arrangements on Russian television stations worldwide, to an audience of an estimated 100 million people. Mr. Franks has performed numerous concerts as a soloist with orchestra, a jazz combo leader and as a solo pianist worldwide, including: "Panafest", Ghana, West Africa; a performance tour of the United Arab Emerites; Xavier University, Norwood, Ohio; The Governor's Chamber Music Series, Olympia, Washington; The Catalina Bar and Grill, Hollywood, California; Mt. Hood, WA Jazz Festival; Port Townsend, WA Jazz Festival; regular appearances at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada. He performes during the Christmas season in Everett, Washington for the Voluntees of America organization where he has written the title song of the show "A Gift of Music" which was webcast to an audience of over 6000 people during Christmas 2004. He performes in Everett, WA with the Everett Symphony and hundreds of locations nationally.
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