Ashley Wass
Encyclopedia
Biography and career
Ashley Wass is a pianist who has performed and recorded many works as soloist, with orchestras and with chamber music groups. Wass first studied at Chethams Music School, and then won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied with Christopher Elton and Hamish Milne. In 2002, he was made an associate of the Royal Academy of Music, and joined the faculty of the Royal College of Music in 2008. He is also Artistic Director of the Lincolnshire International Chamber Music Festival.Wass has given performances at many major UK venues, such as Wigmore Hall, Symphony Hall, Royal Festival Hall and others, and also performed at a gala concert at Buckingham Palace in 2002 held to mark the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. He has performed with orchestras in many counties, and has performed at the BBC Proms in 2008 and 2009.
As a recording artist, Wass was the first ever exclusive artist signed to the Naxos
Naxos Records
Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
label, where he has recorded more than two dozen CDs, performing works by British composers Alwyn
Kenneth Alwyn
Kenneth Alwyn is an English orchestral conductor. He is principally known for his performances and recordings of film and ballet music...
, Bax
Arnold Bax
Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, KCVO was an English composer and poet. His musical style blended elements of romanticism and impressionism, often with influences from Irish literature and landscape. His orchestral scores are noted for their complexity and colourful instrumentation...
, Bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
, Elgar, and Vaughan Williams, as well as Liszt
Liszt
Liszt is a Hungarian surname. Notable persons with that surname include:* Franz Liszt , Hungarian composer and pianist* Adam Liszt , father of Franz Liszt* Anna Liszt , mother of Franz Liszt...
, and Tieck.
Wass is also involved in chamber music, playing with artists such as Sarah Chang
Sarah Chang
Sarah Chang is a Korean American violinist. Her debut came in 1989 with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Shortly thereafter, Chang was recognized as a child prodigy. She enrolled at Juilliard School to study music, graduating in 1999 and continuing university studies...
, Mitsuko Uchida
Mitsuko Uchida
, born 20 December 1948, is a Japanese naturalized British classical pianist.-Career:Born in Atami, a seaside town close to Tokyo, Japan, Uchida moved to Vienna, Austria, with her diplomat parents when she was twelve years old, after her father was named the Japanese ambassador to Austria...
, Richard Goode
Richard Goode
Richard Goode is an American classical pianist, especially known for his interpretations of Ludwig van Beethoven and chamber music.Goode was born in East Bronx, New York...
and others. He has notably participated at the Marlboro Music Festival.