Sam Haywood, piano
British pianist Sam Haywood stepped into the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater’s spotlight for his long-awaited U.S. solo debut — presented by the Washington Performing Arts — during which he dazzled with an artistic recital that proved he belongs center stage […] With a lyrical sensitivity honed by his chamber-music performances, Haywood creates melodies scaled to perfection against a patina of swirling accompaniment […] Haywood’s penchant for exploring scores in detail translates into a journey of discovery for both player and listener in performance.” Washington Post, June 2014.
Sam has performed to critical acclaim in many of the world’s major concert halls, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Konzerthaus in Vienna and the Wigmore Hall in London. As a chamber musician he is a regular duo partner of Joshua Bell and Steven Isserlis, and performs with many leading chamber ensembles. His latest CD ‘Composers in Love’ brings together both well-loved and lesser known music inspired by composers’ muses. He recently made a Hyperion recording of piano works by Russian pianist-composer Julius Isserlis, grandfather of cellist Steven Isserlis.
To celebrate Chopin’s bicentennial year, Sam made the world première recording on Chopin’s own Pleyel piano, part of the Cobbe Collection at Hatchlands. He is also featured on Joshua Bell’s new album for Sony Masterworks, Musical Gifts.
Following Sam’s early success in the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, the Royal Philharmonic Society awarded him their prestigious Isserlis Award. Sam studied with Paul Badura- Skoda in Vienna, where he began his enduring love affair with opera. At the Royal Academy of Music in London, he was mentored by the renowned Maria Curcio, a pupil of Artur Schnabel.
He has given private performances for Princess Diana, HRHs Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Michael Portillo, Hillary Clinton and Xi Jingping, President of China.
Alongside his busy solo and chamber music career, he composes and is a Founder and Artistic Director of the Solent Music Festival. Sam is also passionate about his work with young people. He is an ambassador to the West Lakes Academy, has written a children’s opera and is regularly involved in family concerts, workshops and master classes. His composition ‘Song of the Penguins’, for bassoon and piano, is published by Emerson Editions.