The Pharos Arts Foundation presents the long-awaited return visit of pianist Ashley Wass. Described by Gramophone Magazine as “a thoroughbred who possesses the enviable gift to turn almost anything he plays into pure gold” and as an “endlessly fascinating artist”, Ashley is highly in demand on the international stage, having performed as a soloist and with numerous leading orchestra at many of the world’s finest concert halls. For his recital in Cyprus, on Friday 28 April 2017, at The Shoe Factory, Nicosia, 8:30pm, Ashley Wass will present a Shakespeare inspired programme with works by Beethoven, Liszt, Smetana and Prokofiev.
ASHLEY WASS piano
“A thoroughbred who possesses the enviable gift to turn almost anything he plays into pure gold” Gramophone Magazine
Described as an “endlessly fascinating artist”, Ashley Wass is firmly established as one of the leading performers of his generation. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, he is a prize-winner at the Leeds Piano Competition, a former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist and the only British winner of the London International Piano Competition, a victory that led to a recording contract with Naxos, making him the first solo artist to obtain an exclusive deal with the label. His first recording was a highly praised CD of César Franck piano music, released in 1999.
Highly in demand on the international stage, Ashley has performed at many of the world’s finest concert halls including the Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall and the Vienna Konzerthaus. He has performed as soloist with numerous leading ensembles, including all of the BBC orchestras, the Philharmonia, Orchestre National de Lille, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, RLPO, and under the baton of conductors such as Simon Rattle, Osmo Vanska, Donald Runnicles, Ilan Volkov and Vassily Sinaisky. In June 2002, Ashley Wass appeared alongside the likes of Sir Thomas Allen, Mstislav Rostropovich and Angela Gheorghiu in a gala concert at Buckingham Palace to mark the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, a performance broadcast live to millions of viewers around the world. He made his BBC Proms debut in 2008 with Vaughan Williams’ Piano Concerto, and returned in following seasons to perform works by Foulds, Stravinsky, Antheil, and McCabe.
Last season’s highlights included a debut at the Melbourne Recital Centre, an acclaimed performance of the Foulds Dynamic Triptych with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, an extensive tour to South America and performances with the Slovak Philharmonic and BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
Renowned for a broad and eclectic repertoire, Ashley has received great critical acclaim for his recordings of music from a wide range of styles and eras, with glowing reviews of his interpretations of composers such as Liszt, Franck, Beethoven, and Bridge. His survey of Bax’s piano music was nominated for a Gramophone Award and his discography boasts a number of Gramophone ‘Editor’s Choice’ recordings and BBC Music Magazine ‘Choices’.
Much in demand as a chamber musician, Ashley Wass regularly partners many of the leading artists of his generation. He is a frequent guest of international festivals such as Pharos (Cyprus), Bath, Ako (Japan), Kuhmo (Finland), Cheltenham, Mecklenburg, Gstaad, City of London, and Ravinia and Marlboro in the USA, playing solo recitals and chamber works with musicians such as Mitsuko Uchida, Steven Isserlis, Emmanuel Pahud, Maxim Rysanov, Richard Goode and members of the Guarneri Quartet and Beaux Arts Trio. Ashley Wass is the Artistic Director of the Lincolnshire International Chamber Music Festival. The Festival has grown from strength to strength during his tenure, with sold-out performances of challenging repertoire and broadcasts on BBC Radio 3. In 2012 Ashley formed the Trio Apaches with violinist Matthew Trusler and cellist Thomas Carrol. The central focus of the Trio is to create innovative projects, with a particular focus on exploring rare and often neglected repertoire. Trio Apaches regularly appears on BBC Radio 3 and is rapidly establishing itself as one of the most in demand British ensembles of today.
Ashley is currently a Professor of Piano at the Royal College of Music, London, and is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music. |
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