a summer program at Alabama A&M University for high school students who excelled at math and science. In 1981 he was valedictorian at Oakwood Adventist Academy, then a few months later entered Oakwood University. He graduated in 1985 with a degree in music. Two years later he received a Master's degree in arranging from the University of Alabama, having studied with Steve Sample Sr. Early musical career At the age of five, Warren began playing the piano by ear, after being taught a few songs by his mother. Thereafter, for many years he immersed himself in the piano, learning to play various styles by ear and creating new arrangements of existing pieces. As early as the age of seven, he was accompanying vocalists at the piano for their performances at school or church. He soon became sought after as an accompanist in the community and throughout college and graduate school. At the age of 10, Warren became the regular accompanist for a vocal group composed of five of his female classmates where they performed regularly at school and community events. Within weeks of becoming their accompanist, Warren began creating original arrangements for the group. When he was 12, he was asked by a classmate if he had ever considered composing an original song. Though Warren had not previously considered doing so, the suggestion prompted him to begin composing original songs and lyrics which he taught to the vocal group and which they performed publicly. Warren had an innate inclination toward jazz and complex harmony, which was evident in both his original songs and arrangements of existing songs. This propensity was met with disdain by some of the more conservative members of the Oakwood community, resulting in an ongoing struggle between figures of authority and Warren. At the age of 13, Warren expanded the five-voice, female vocal group to a nine-voice, mixed vocal group. This group, The Symbolic Sounds, sang his arrangements and compositions exclusively, and remained popular in the school and community through 1981. Warren's first professional recording session was for a new version of "The Lord's Prayer", set to an original melody, which Warren co-wrote with his friend Eric Todd. It was recorded by Blessed Peace, a popular gospel choir at Oakwood University, at the Sound Cell Recording Studio in Huntsville, Alabama. Warren created the vocal arrangement, played keyboards, and assisted Todd with the overall production. During that session,