Tony Hagood is a celebrated and in-demand pianist, composer, and educator from Westerville, Ohio. A 2010 graduate of Capital University with a degree in Music Performance, Tony has built a multifaceted career spanning continents, genres, and performance settings.

 

Internationally, he has performed across China, Japan, South Korea, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and throughout the Caribbean. In the U.S., his versatility shines through performances ranging from intimate jazz clubs to grand concert halls and stadiums. He appears regularly as a soloist, leads his own jazz trio and quartet, and collaborates with a wide range of ensembles—averaging six performances a week.

 

Tony curates and directs his long-running jazz concert series at the Columbus Museum of Art, following in the footsteps of his late teacher, Mark Flugge, and late Otterbein colleague, Richard Lopez.  He runs a residency at local jazz club Ginger Rabbit where his trio has consistently sold out both sets every 4th Friday for the last 2 and ¾ + years. He serves as the sanctuary music director at Hilliard United Methodist Church. In addition, he owns and operates Noteworthy Music, a multi-teacher lesson studio, and A Note Above the Rest Entertainment, a music entertainment booking company.

 

A sought-after collaborator, Tony has performed with Grammy Award winners Tamika Lawrence and LeAnn Rimes; platinum-selling artists Nas and the Violent Femmes; Broadway performers Shayna Steele, Chester Gregory, and Joshua Henry; and American Idol finalist Michael Lynche. He has also played in featured rhythm sections backing rapper Rick Ross and acclaimed jazz vocalist and trombonist Aubrey Logan and tap dancer John Manzari. Through his frequent work with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Tony has appeared on programs featuring artists such as Ne-Yo and Ledisi, as well as The Ohio State University Marching Band.

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His credits also include performances with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, Byron Stripling’s quintet, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra at New York’s renowned Chautauqua Institution, New Albany Symphony Orchestra, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Equally at home across genres, Tony has collaborated with artists spanning jazz, classical, R&B, country, rock, and more.

 

Whether performing solo, with one of his groups, or within a larger ensemble, Tony brings passion, artistry, and deep musicality to every performance—leaving a lasting impression on audiences everywhere he plays.