Simon Callaghan, piano

British pianist Simon Callaghan is in much demand internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. His intelligent and compelling performances both on the concert platform and in the recording studio are earning him a reputation as an exciting and versatile young artist.

Recent performances include a chamber music tour of South Korea, a début with the RLPO, a gala concert with ENO principals and appearances on ITV and BBC Television. He has also broadcast on BBC Radio.

Simon Callaghan is equally at home performing mainstream repertoire and lesser-known pieces, frequently presenting works by Sterndale Bennett, Parry and Kapustin among others, in his recital programmes. His recent CD of English piano music on the De Rode Pomp label received the following comment from musicweb-international (2009): "an essential purchase... one can ask nothing more... stunning playing"

Following his studies at Chetham's School of Music with Bernard Roberts, Simon was awarded a full scholarship to study with Yonty Solomon at the Royal College of Music, from where he graduated with first class honours and won numerous prizes. He now receives guidance from the British pianist Frank Wibaut. Simon has also taken awards at the Bromsgrove International Competition, Jean Françaix Concours (Paris) and the Liverpool Young Musician of the Year, and is grateful to the Craxton Memorial Trust and to his sponsors for their continued support.

Engagements for the 09/10 season include collaborations with the cellist Tim Hugh, the Carducci Quartet and the actor Timothy West, a debut at Birmingham Symphony Hall (Rachmaninoff's Concerto No.2), as well as concertos by Bach, Chopin, Grieg, Rachmaninoff and Prokofieff among others, and solo and chamber recitals throughout the UK. In 2010 together with pianist, Hiroaki Takenouchi he will record a series of discs for SOMM Records featuring two-piano transcriptions of Delius’s orchestral works.

"An almost faultless performance...there was an excellent balance between delicate approaches and thundering fortissimos."
- Liverpool Daily Post 2004

"What a wonderful pianist, who combines complete understanding of the style of music he is playing with a rare subtlety and brilliance of execution."
 - Sir Roger Norrington

"I was very impressed by his fluent, skilful pianism and his innate musicality. He plays with intelligence and conviction and I wish him much success in his musical career."
 - Stephen Hough

simoncallaghan.com

 

Performances with the Corinthian Chamber Orchestra