Steve Dallas
Steve Dallas is a widely known in the Canton, Akron and Cleveland Ohio area as a musician performing for weddings, anniversary parties, company banquets, piano concerts and any occasion where fine music is needed. Steve performs the well known classics as well as the great movie themes and standard swing tunes from the 30’s and 40’s. Steve is a well rounded Ohio musician who has a heart for people and would love to serve you for your up and coming special occasion.
Steve’s harp music is enthusiastically received wherever he performs. Transporting a beautiful full size mahogany Salzi harp, brides all over northeast Ohio are captivated by his beautiful renditions. Many occasions other than weddings lend themselves to harp music such as teas, dinner occasions and bereavement situations such as calling hours and memorial services. Selections include Clair De Lune; Trumpet Voluntary; Canon in D (Pachebel); Let it Be Me; Sheep May Safely Graze, Air, Bouree (Bach) Sound of Music; You’ll Never Walk Alone; Ave Maria; On Eagles Wings; (a large selection of hymn tunes) You Are So Beautiful to Me; I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You. Many other songs are possible. Requests welcome.
Steve is a life long pianist also and is happy to play dinner music, or special concerts, (like a new piano dedication) or even your wedding on the piano. Also popular are his Italian theme parties strolling accordion and/or violin. There is a video of him playing in his living room on YouTube titled: Canon in D by Pachebel harpist Steve Dallas.
Someone gave Steve’s family a really old piano when he was 11 and he started playing by ear. He started piano with Mr Paul Hannenkrat at the Nusley piano school in Canton. He was a compulsive practicer and his Dad begged him to stop. Steve started playing for his Dad’s church services a year later, so he thinks his dad was patient with him. Steve stayed with Mr Hannenkrat till he went to college and gave a public recital the year he graduated from McKinley High School. On that program was Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonta which he still plays.
Steve went on to Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana and graduated five years later with a degree in piano performance. He led music groups 
performing all over the tri-state area and was assistant conductor of the Bethel College Concert Choir. Myron Tweed was very encouraging to him and let him arrange several pieces for the choir and brass ensemble. Steve was lucky enough to get in on the inception of the Notre Dame piano department in l974 and studied several years with William Cerny. He was finally in the “big city”.
After moving back to town in 1982, Steve came back as choir Director for Don Bartow at Westminster Presbyterian Church. he did a substitution job for the music teacher on maternity leave at Canton Country Day School, and that was the job that got him going in his entertainment career here in Canton. He was playing birthday parties for the children in their homes, and playing for their family and friends at Brookside and Glenmoor Country Clubs. Steve’s first public job was at the Red Bull Inn in the Beldon Village Area. Steve and his good friend Jim Smith shared the billing.
Steve played for many years at Ristorante Capaldi on Tuscarawas in Canton. Mary and and Larry were wonderful and they are still close friends. He played for Kurt and Susan Seebacher at Kurt’s Inn for a while also.
If there are children at the reception, Steve usually does a song they know so they can sing or dance. No kid can resist a polka. He has 5 grandchildren and they are all fearless with music and singing. He has a couple children’s choirs at the church where he works and t
hey have a great time. He takes his violin in once in a while. He even has a baby harp he takes in once in a while. He wants his children to see him playing all his instruments to stimulate their interest in taking lessons. He is proud of the fact that 2 boys he started on lessons are now fine musicians in the music world today.
All of his life Steve has served the church with music. Here he is with Lea Traugh Young, at a wedding warming up to do the ceremony. He has served all the the denominations and he is in his 20th year as director of music at St. Joan of Arc in Canton.
Steve wouldn’t fail to recognize his performance on the accordion. He can do birthday parties, picnics, and Italian theme parties, of course. Just about the time he gets ready to stop promoting his accordion playing, he gets a call! He found an accordion in the basement of Westminster Presbyterian Church when worked there in the 80s, and of course, he couldn’t let it sit – he had to learn to play it! You never know when someone wants to hear him strolling around the room bellowing “That’s Amore!” It’s an icebreaker for sure.
