Andrew Matthews-Owen
Encyclopedia
Andrew Matthews-Owen is a Welsh
pianist
and accompanist. He was born at Neath
, Wales
and now lives in London
Matthews-Owen studied at the University of Wales, Cardiff and the Royal Academy of Music
supported by scholarships from the Rayne Foundation and Sir Edward Heath. He is the winner of awards including the Sir Henry Richardson Award for Accompanists (awarded by Roger Vignoles
), a Ryan Davies
Trust Award, a John Ireland
Trust Award and the Elisabeth Schumann
Prize. He has also twice been the recipient of an S4C Wales Scholarship and undertaken private studies with Eugene Asti, Christine Croshaw
and Roger Vignoles
. Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.
He has performed at numerous major venues, partnering leading young singers, including the Wigmore Hall
, Purcell Room
, National Portrait Gallery, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Bath Pump Rooms, St David's Hall
, Lousie T Blouin Foundation (on Richard Meier's iconic Ibach piano) and the Brangwyn Hall
with singers including Claire Booth, Helen Field, Katie van Kooten, Nicky Spence
and Jeremy Huw Williams
. Also on BBC Television and Radio.
An exponent of the music of distinguished composer Alun Hoddinott
, he premiered the composer's latest song cycle 'Towy Landscape' for soprano, baritone and piano duet, written for him through an award from the Welsh Arts Council and PRS Foundation, in Swansea in September 2006 with soprano Claire Booth,Welsh baritone Jeremy Huw Williams and fellow pianist Michael Pollock. The work was given its London Premiere in the prestigious Cutting Edge series administered by the BMIC, in December 2007. He will record a CD of Hoddinott's song cycles in English with Claire Booth, Nicky Spence, Jeremy Huw Williams and Michael Pollock in 2010.
On the Cutting Edge Tour 2008/2009 with Claire Booth he will premiere works being written for them by Philip Cashian
, Arlene Sierra
and Robert Fokkens
. He will also give the UK Premiere of Michael Berkeley
's 'Songs for Children' in a concert at the National Portrait Gallery to remember Ralph Vaughan Williams
on the 50th anniversary of his death and celebrate Berkeley's 60th birthday in 2008
2010 sees two Southbank Centre concerts with Claire Booth, Joby Burgess and the Brodowski Quartet and premieres of new works by Simon Holt, Philip Cashian and Laurence Crane. Also, further concerts around the UK and the premiere of a new work by Jonathan Dove.
Andrew Matthews-Owen is Artistic Director of the Louise Blouin Concert Series held at the Louise Blouin Foundation, London and is on the teaching staff at Trinity College of Music, London
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and accompanist. He was born at Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and now lives in London
Matthews-Owen studied at the University of Wales, Cardiff and the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
supported by scholarships from the Rayne Foundation and Sir Edward Heath. He is the winner of awards including the Sir Henry Richardson Award for Accompanists (awarded by Roger Vignoles
Roger Vignoles
Roger Vignoles is a British pianist and accompanist. He regularly performs with the world’s leading singers – including Kiri Te Kanawa, Thomas Allen, Anne Sofie von Otter, Thomas Hampson, Gitta-Maria Sjøberg, Sarah Walker, Susan Graham, Felicity Lott, Stephan Genz, Monica Groop, Wolfgang Holzmair,...
), a Ryan Davies
Ryan Davies
Ryan Davies was a popular Welsh entertainer of the 1960s and 1970s. He was born in the Carmarthenshire village of Glanamman in the Black Mountain, Wales, and was educated in Bangor and at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His first professional appearance was in the National Eisteddfod of...
Trust Award, a John Ireland
John Ireland (composer)
John Nicholson Ireland was an English composer.- Life :John Ireland was born in Bowdon, near Altrincham, Manchester, into a family of Scottish descent and some cultural distinction. His father, Alexander Ireland, a publisher and newspaper proprietor, was aged 70 at John's birth...
Trust Award and the Elisabeth Schumann
Elisabeth Schumann
Elisabeth Schumann was a German lyric soprano who sang in opera, operetta, oratorio, and lieder. She left a substantial legacy of recordings.-Career:...
Prize. He has also twice been the recipient of an S4C Wales Scholarship and undertaken private studies with Eugene Asti, Christine Croshaw
Christine Croshaw
Christine Croshaw is a British Pianist and a Professor at Trinity College of Music, London, UK-Overview:Christine Croshaw is a distinguished British concert pianist and and is a professor of piano, chamber music and accompaniment at Trinity College of Music, London.-Career:Croshaw studied initially...
and Roger Vignoles
Roger Vignoles
Roger Vignoles is a British pianist and accompanist. He regularly performs with the world’s leading singers – including Kiri Te Kanawa, Thomas Allen, Anne Sofie von Otter, Thomas Hampson, Gitta-Maria Sjøberg, Sarah Walker, Susan Graham, Felicity Lott, Stephan Genz, Monica Groop, Wolfgang Holzmair,...
. Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.
He has performed at numerous major venues, partnering leading young singers, including the Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...
, Purcell Room
Purcell Room
The Purcell Room is a concert and performance venue which forms part of the Southbank Centre, one of central London's leading cultural complexes. It is named after the 17th century English composer Henry Purcell and has 370 seats....
, National Portrait Gallery, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Bath Pump Rooms, St David's Hall
St David's Hall
St David's Hall is a performing arts and conference venue in the heart of Cardiff city centre, the capital of Wales...
, Lousie T Blouin Foundation (on Richard Meier's iconic Ibach piano) and the Brangwyn Hall
Brangwyn Hall
The Brangwyn Hall is a concert venue in Swansea. It is named after the artist Frank Brangwyn, whose famous "panels", originally intended for the House of Lords, are displayed there....
with singers including Claire Booth, Helen Field, Katie van Kooten, Nicky Spence
Nicky Spence
Nicky Spence is a Scottish tenor performing in opera, oratorio and concerts.-Early years:Spence was born in Dumfries in 1983. According to the biography on his web site "although struggling from a broken home, he thrived in life with a huge love of performing and working in his local chippy to...
and Jeremy Huw Williams
Jeremy Huw Williams
Jeremy Huw Williams is a Welsh baritone opera singer who studied at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, St John's College, Cambridge, at the National Opera Studio, and with April Cantelo....
. Also on BBC Television and Radio.
An exponent of the music of distinguished composer Alun Hoddinott
Alun Hoddinott
Alun Hoddinott CBE , was a Welsh composer of classical music, one of the first to receive international recognition.-Life and works:...
, he premiered the composer's latest song cycle 'Towy Landscape' for soprano, baritone and piano duet, written for him through an award from the Welsh Arts Council and PRS Foundation, in Swansea in September 2006 with soprano Claire Booth,Welsh baritone Jeremy Huw Williams and fellow pianist Michael Pollock. The work was given its London Premiere in the prestigious Cutting Edge series administered by the BMIC, in December 2007. He will record a CD of Hoddinott's song cycles in English with Claire Booth, Nicky Spence, Jeremy Huw Williams and Michael Pollock in 2010.
On the Cutting Edge Tour 2008/2009 with Claire Booth he will premiere works being written for them by Philip Cashian
Philip Cashian
Philip Cashian is an English composer. He is the head of composition of the Royal Academy of Music.-Biography:Born in Manchester in 1963, Cashian studied at Cardiff University, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and in 1997 received a DMus from Durham University.His teachers have included...
, Arlene Sierra
Arlene Sierra
Arlene Sierra is an American composer working in the United Kingdom.She studied at Oberlin College, Yale University and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, receiving a DMA in 1999; among her principal teachers were Martin Bresnick, Michael Daugherty and Jacob Druckman...
and Robert Fokkens
Robert Fokkens
Robert Fokkens is a South African classical music composer. He is among a new generation of younger composers in post-apartheid South Africa. He was educated in Cape Town at Rondebosch Boys' School....
. He will also give the UK Premiere of Michael Berkeley
Michael Berkeley
Michael Berkeley is a British composer and broadcaster on music.-Early life:His father was the composer Sir Lennox Berkeley...
's 'Songs for Children' in a concert at the National Portrait Gallery to remember Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also a collector of English folk music and song: this activity both influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, beginning in 1904, in which he included many...
on the 50th anniversary of his death and celebrate Berkeley's 60th birthday in 2008
2010 sees two Southbank Centre concerts with Claire Booth, Joby Burgess and the Brodowski Quartet and premieres of new works by Simon Holt, Philip Cashian and Laurence Crane. Also, further concerts around the UK and the premiere of a new work by Jonathan Dove.
Andrew Matthews-Owen is Artistic Director of the Louise Blouin Concert Series held at the Louise Blouin Foundation, London and is on the teaching staff at Trinity College of Music, London