About Me

Delana Thomsen is a highly accomplished solo and collaborative pianist who has given recitals throughout Europe and the United States, as well as Master Classes in Italy, Iceland and Bulgaria. In New York, she has appeared at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Recital Hall, Bruno Walter Auditorium of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the Nicholas Roerich Museum, the Oyster Bay Beethoven Festival as well as Cami Hall in a recital sponsored by the Estonian Society. Ms. Thomsen has been affiliated with the Aspen Music Festival, the Juilliard School and the Mannes College of Music. She is a former member of the New York Bach Ensemble, The Engle Winds, and Windsong. She is the recipient of the Ruth Slenczynska Chamber Music Award and is in Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities.

Ms. Thomsen accompanied the violin classes of the late Ivan Galamian and has been the pianist for the Master Classes of Dorothy Delay, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Eleanor Lawrence, Channing Robbins, Leonard Rose and Mstislav Rostropovitch. “Morgunbildith” in Iceland wrote "artistic...a first-rate musician (who) projects unusually loveable playing"; The "Borba" in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria wrote "Ms. Thomsen plays with an authentic and sensitive style that gives the listener a sound picture of the boundless nuances of human life"; and “The Music Connoisseur” wrote “…the appealing duo displayed a high level of virtuosity throughout”. 

In addition to freelancing in the New York City area, she is a member of the Thomsen/Belli duo-piano ensemble, SAGA Ensemble, and performed regularly in concert with her bassoonist late-husband, Paul Stebbins.  

She is a sought after teacher and inspiring mentor, and her pupils have had great recognition. Ms. Thomsen, who has been a member of the MSM PreCollege Piano Faculty since 1978, established the “Sassa Maniotis Scholarship” at Manhattan School of Music in honor and memory of her beloved High School piano teacher in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, as well as a Bassoon Scholarship in memory of her late-husband Paul Stebbins. It is awarded annually to deserving pupils. Ms., Thomsen’s MSM pupils have been the winners of numerous concerto competitions including Yonkers Philharmonic, Long Island Youth Orchestra and LaGuardia High School in NYC as well as many local competitions where pupils had the honor of performing in Weill Hall, St. Stephens Church, Queens College, Greenwich House Music School.  Most recently one of her MSM-Precollege pupils had the privilege of performing the Saint Saens G Minor Piano Concerto with the New York Concerti Sinfonietta. She is also on the piano faculty at InterHarmony International Music Festival in Italy, Hoff-Barthelson Music School and has private teaching studios in New York City and Columbia County.  

Her teachers have been Ruth Slenczynska (Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville: B.M. Piano Performance and continued ever-inspiring mentor and friend), Arthur Balsam (Manhattan School of Music: M.M. Accompanying), Dalmo Carra (MSM Piano Faculty for 3 years of post graduate studies), and Elizabeth Moschetti Tobias (former assistant to Dorothy Taubman for 13 years of further postgraduate studies), and one summer at The Taubman Institute in Amherst under the tutelage of Sheila Page.