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JONATHAN POWELL
Jonathan Powell has established himself as one of the most accomplished, daring and sensitive pianists of his generation. As comfortable performing Romantic sonatas as the most radical contemporary works, his technique combines virtuosity and insight.
Powell studied the piano with Denis Matthews and Sulamita Aronovsky, and made his début under the auspices of the Park Lane Group’s Young Artist Series. After graduating from
Cambridge
University with a double first, he completed important doctoral work on rarely-performed Russian music.
Over the 1990s, he has attracted attention as performer of Romantic and contemporary repertoire, whilst establishing a reputation as a composer and writer on music.
In 1999, Powell directed and performed in a series of concerts at the Barbican’s
St Petersburg festival; the next year he performed in
Russia where he was acclaimed as a ‘great virtuoso’ by the
Moscow press. He has appeared as a pianist across the
UK: in the Aldeburgh,
Brighton and
Huddersfield festivals, as well as in the Cutting Edge series and the South Bank Centre in
London. He has also performed in mainland
Europe, in
Utrecht,
Helsinki, Marseille and at the Fondazione Pistoletto in
Italy.
Several notable British composers have written works especially for him and he has given
UK premières of pieces by Bussotti, Cage, Feldman and Sciarrino.
His recordings for Altarus, ASV and
Largo have been critically acclaimed; his relationship with the Altarus label is producing an ongoing series of groundbreaking recordings. Forthcoming concerts include appearances in the
UK,
Finland,
Germany,
Italy and the
US.
His recordings for Altarus, ASV and
Largo have been critically acclaimed; his relationship with the Altarus label is producing an ongoing series of groundbreaking recordings. Forthcoming concerts include appearances in the
UK,
Finland,
Germany,
Italy and the
US.
In 1999, Powell directed and performed in a series of concerts at the Barbican’s
St Petersburg festival; the next year he performed in
Russia where he was acclaimed as a ‘great virtuoso’ by the
Moscow press. He has appeared as a pianist across the
UK: in the Aldeburgh,
Brighton and
Huddersfield festivals, as well as in the Cutting Edge series and the South Bank Centre in
London. He has also performed in mainland
Europe, in
Utrecht,
Helsinki, Marseille and at the Fondazione Pistoletto in
Italy.
Several notable British composers have written works especially for him and he has given
UK premières of pieces by Bussotti, Cage, Feldman and Sciarrino.
His recordings for Altarus, ASV and
Largo have been critically acclaimed; his relationship with the Altarus label is producing an ongoing series of groundbreaking recordings. Forthcoming concerts include appearances in the
UK,
Finland,
Germany,
Italy and the
US.
His recordings for Altarus, ASV and
Largo have been critically acclaimed; his relationship with the Altarus label is producing an ongoing series of groundbreaking recordings. Forthcoming concerts include appearances in the
UK,
Finland,
Germany,
Italy and the
US. |
[Sorabji: Opus Clavicembalisticum - performance on 16th September 2003, London]
"Powell's achievement was not just that he played the work with flawless virtuosity throughout - though a stupendous accomplishment in itself. More importantly, he made the work's improbable external dimensions fall away, so that the entire thing could resound as music. Part II, say, begins with a theme and 49 variations which are at times extraordinarily beautiful, at others massively overwhelming, and yet Powell projected this epic range of expression as if it were as natural as a nursery rhyme. Likewise the Adagio of the Interludium alterum, where he underlined the exquisite delicacy of Sorabji's meltingly lovely writing; and he brought to the vast closing chords of the Coda Stretta a colossal, granitic strength. His audience, shattered and elated, shot to its feet and roared."
[Martin Anderson, International Piano (November 2003 issue)] |
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