Concert pianist Bruce Levingston, holder of the University of Mississippi’s Fant Chair and Chancellor’s Honors College Artist-in Residence, is drawing worldwide attention and is proudly sharing it with his home state and the university.

His latest album, “Citizen,” released last month, and his series of 10- sold-out concerts at the Royal Opera House in London received international praise during the month of January, and it’s safe to say it has carried over to the present month.

Hear Levingston explain the album in his own words:

Younger Mississippi talent, such as composer Cecil Price Walden and artist Brooke P. Alexander, are also gaining recognition and benefiting from Levingston’s worldwide success. Alexander even created the cover art for “Citizen.”

“It is such a privilege to represent the university and my home state abroad and to bring attention to the amazing artists Mississippi has produced in the past, such as Marie Hull and William Grant Still, as well as brilliant artist of the future like Price Walden and Brooke Alexander,” Levingston said in a news article from the university.

Born in Greenville, Levingston is known as one of the country’s leading figures in contemporary music. He has performed world premieres at Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center and other international venues. The New York Times called him one of  “today’s most adventurous musicians” and The New Yorker declared him “a force for new music.”

“Bruce Levingston is our greatest living ambassador for the arts and culture in Mississippi, and we are thrilled he is giving so much to his home state by supporting and highlighting the work of important Mississippi artist,” Gov. Phil Bryant said in a statement.

In 2017, Levingston was one of seven artists inducted into Mississippi’s Musician Hall of Fame. Each year, the organization inducts Mississippians into the Hall of Fame who have contributed to the state’s musical history and have made a profound impact on the global music industry.

Members of the Oxford community are thankful Levingston has enthusiastically shared with them his talents all while shining a positive light on the state.

“Not only is Bruce a wonderful artist, but he is also a passionate advocate for Mississippi and its next generation of artists,” Interim Chancellor Larry Sparks said in the university’s news article. “We are truly grateful for Bruce and the special gift that he brings to the university and the Oxford community.”

Listen to “Amazing Grace,” a track from Levingston’s latest album:

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Sereena Henderson managed Mississippi Today’s social media and reported on Mississippi culture from August 2016 until June 2020. She was also a member of the engagement team and curated and delivered the daily newsletter. Sereena, a native of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, is a graduate of the Ole Miss School of Journalism and New Media.