John Samuell (a.k.a. John Varcoe) is a fourteen-year-old pianist, organist, harpsichordist, and composer. He has been accepted into the Juilliard Pre-College. He is also a Solo Round competitor in the 2026 Gina Bachauer International Junior Piano Competition and will compete in Salt Lake City in summer 2026.

He won Category 6 (ages 28 and under) of the 8th Rosalyn Tureck International Bach Competition, receiving both the Rosalyn Tureck Prize and the Kern Foundation Aspiration Award. He was also selected as a finalist for From the Top and invited to be featured on the program’s Daily Joy series. Additional honors include first place in the WMTA Novik Junior Division Piano Concerto Competition and the Virginia MTNA Junior Piano Competition. He holds two professional certifications from the American Guild of Organists—the Service Playing Certificate (age 11) and the Colleague Certificate (CAGO, age 12)—and received the national CAGO Prize for the highest exam score.

By age 12, John completed the full practical curriculum of the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) in piano, organ, and harpsichord, progressing from beginner levels through Level 10 within three years. He earned First Class Honours with Distinction in piano and organ, and First Class Honours in harpsichord, along with advanced theory and music history credentials.

He has performed at venues including the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., where he presented Bach’s Leipzig Chorales and the complete Goldberg Variations, as well as the 47th Annual Chevy Chase Bach Marathon, the Norwood Concert Series, the Roth Concert Series, and the Steinway Concert Series at Silo Hill. He is a Solo Performance Member of the Friday Morning Music Club. His chamber repertoire includes works such as Dvořák’s Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Beethoven’s Piano Trios, Op. 1 Nos. 1 and 3, Haydn’s Piano Trio in G Major, Hob. XV:25, and Bach’s Concerto for Two Keyboards in C Major, BWV 1061a.

As a composer, John writes in a Neo-Romantic style, with an emphasis on harmonic color, lyrical lines, and extended forms. His published works include Prelude in C Major, Op. 1, No. 1; Prelude in A Major, Op. 1, No. 2; Theme and Five Variations; and Night, Op. 2.

John maintains a structured practice and study routine; some of the books and materials he uses are listed here.