Brinkburn Music Festival

Paul Lewis

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Paul Lewis is one of the most sought-after artists of his generation, appearing regularly at the world's major musical venues and festivals. He studied with Ryszard Bakst at Chetham's School of Music, and Joan Havill at the Guildhall in London, after which he received regular coaching from Alfred Brendel. After many competition successes including the 1994 London International Piano Competition, he was selected for the BBC's inaugural 'New Generation' artist scheme, and was chosen by Wigmore Hall for the European Concert Halls Organisation's 'Rising Stars' scheme.

His highly acclaimed Schubert piano sonata series, presented at venues throughout the UK, including the Wigmore Hall, won him both the South Bank Show Classical Music Award and the Royal Philharmonic Society's Instrumentalist of the Year Award in 2003. His recordings for Harmonia Mundi, have won many international awards, including two successive Edison awards in Holland in 2004 and 2005. More recently he was awarded the 25th Premio Internazionale Accademia Musicale Chigiani in Sienna.

Following on from the success of his Schubert sonata series, Paul Lewis is currently performing a complete cycle of the Beethoven piano sonatas at venues across Europe and the USA through to the end of 2007.