Sunday, November 5, 2017 - 3:00 PM
Since his spectacular 2016 debut, this young British pianist’s career has skyrocketed, having performed at Carnegie Hall and with the Cleveland Orchestra. He closes the program with Ravel’s fiendishly difficult work —his incredible recording of which first brought him to our attention.
J.S. Bach: French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816
Brahms: 4 Klavierstücke, Op. 119
Brett Dean: Hommage à Brahms
Debussy: L’après midi d’un faune (arr.)
Berg: Sonata, Op. 1
Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit
Tickets may purchased at the door. Box Office opens at 2pm.
All students admitted free with valid ID.
British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor is internationally recognized for his electrifying performances, distinctive sound and insightful interpretations. His virtuosic command over the most arduous technical complexities underpins the remarkable depth and understanding of his music making.
Last season, Benjamin performed at London’s Barbican Hall, Paris’ Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Madrid’s Ciclo Grandes Intérpretes, San Francisco Performances, Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s recital series, Munich’s Herkulessaal, Milan’s Societá dei Concerti and Palau de la Música Catalana Barcelona. Also a keen chamber musician, he joined Tabea Zimmermann and others for a performance of Schubert’s Trout Quintet at Bonn’s Beethovenwoche 2019, and together with the Doric Quartet performed piano quintets by Fauré and Dvořák as well as chamber settings of Chopin’s Piano Concertos.
In 2011 Benjamin signed to Decca Classics, becoming the youngest British musician ever to sign to the label. Benjamin’s fourth CD on the label, Homages (2016), explores a number of works in which great composers pay tribute to their predecessors, including Busoni’s transcription of Bach’s great solo violin Chaconne, Franck’s Choral, Prelude and Fugue and Liszt’s tribute to Italian folk song, Venezia e Napoli. Named Instrumental Recording of the Month in BBC Music Magazine, the disc was also awarded a Diapason d'Or.
Benjamin has received Gramophone’s Young Artist of the Year and Instrumental Awards, a Classic Brits Critics’ Award, UK Critics’ Circle Award for Exceptional Young Talent, a Diapason d’Or Jeune Talent Award, the Keyboard Final of the 2004 BBC Young Musician Competition, and was the inaugural recipient of The Ronnie and Lawrence Ackman Classical Piano Prize with the New York Philharmonic in 2016. He has been featured in two BBC television documentaries, as well as in CNN’s Human to Hero series.
The youngest of five brothers, Benjamin began playing the piano aged 6. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Christopher Elton and Daniel-Ben Pienaar, where he graduated in 2012 with the ‘Queen’s Commendation for Excellence’ and in 2016 was awarded a Fellowship. Benjamin has been supported since 2013 by EFG International, the widely respected global private banking group.
