West Wight Arts Association

 

British pianist Simon Callaghan's intelligent and compelling performances both on the concert platform and in the recording studio are quickly earning him a reputation as an exciting and versatile artist of the new generation. Performance highlights include Rachmaninov's Second Concerto at Birmingham's Symphony Hall, Liszt's First Concerto with the RLPO, a duo recital at Wigmore Hall, a chamber music tour of South Korea and a gala concert with ENO principals. He has also broadcast on BBC Radio and has appeared on ITV and BBC Television.

The 2010/11 season sees Simon give solo and chamber music recitals throughout the UK and abroad, including collaborations with the cellist Tim Hugh, the Maggini, Barbirolli and Sacconi Quartets, Timothy West and Prunella Scales. He will also perform concertos by Chopin, Gershwin, Medtner, Saint-Saens, Prokofieff and Rachmaninoff and will spend three weeks at the famous Banff Centre (Canada) where he will take up an invitation to the collaborative piano internship.

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 has also received guidance from Noretta Conci, Claude Frank, Stephen Hough and Frank Wibaut. Simon has taken awards at the Bromsgrove International Competition, Jean Francaix 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.

Reviews

"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

"An almost faultless performance...there was an excellent balance between delicate approaches and thundering fortissimos."

Liverpool Daily Post

Liszt Concerto No.1 / RLPO / Gerard Schwarz

Simon Callaghan is equally at home performing the mainstream repertoire as in 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 rave reviews, including the following comment from musicweb-international (2009):

"an essential purchase" one can ask nothing more "stunning playing"

"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