Biography

Theodora Primes began her study of piano at a very young age. She became a protégé and friend of the legendary pianist Adolph Baller at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she earned her Bachelor of Music degree. Baller’s influence still permeates her interpretation of the romantic composers.

She received her Master of Fine Arts degree at the California Institute of the Arts, focusing on performing baroque and contemporary literature. She later studied piano with John Perry at USC and harpsichord with Patricia Mabee of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.
Theo has performed concerti, chamber music, solo piano recitals and accompaniment throughout the west and toured Italy and Croatia with the Santa Cruz Chorale. She taught chamber music, piano and organ at Glendale College for over fifteen years. The late composer Alfred Carlson dedicated his Toccata for Piano to her.  Theo was honored by the County of Los Angeles and the California State Senate for her solo piano recitals that helped fund shelters for the homeless.  She is also a past president of Design for Sharing, UCLA’s community outreach program for the performing arts.

Her short film, Theo Plays Chopin was the first progressive-scan high-definition television production ever made.  It explored the inner workings of the piano in unprecedented video quality as Theo performed a Chopin etude and nocturne.
Theo won the organist post at the United Armenian Congregational Church in 2007 by performing the Vivaldi Gloria with their choir and then promising to learn to use the organ pedals if she got the job.   She immediately began studying the organ with Mark Thallander and John West.
She passed the American Guild of Organists service playing exam and then studied to pass a rigorous examination to become a Colleague of the American Guild of Organists. Her debut recital as a concert organist. was in November 2017.
During the 2020 pandemic, her husband Bob made over 30 videos of her home performances to be used for virtual church services.  These included works performed on Theo's Yamaha pianos and Rosales Hauptwerk organ as well as organ/piano holiday duets with Mark Thallander.
In 2022, Theo performed three sonatas with 'cellist Jerome Kessler.  They may be found under 'Cello & Piano'.