Timothy Young, piano

Timothy Young is one of Australia’s most prominent and versatile pianists, performing as a chamber musician, recitalist and concerto soloist. Frequently praised by critics for both his sensitive musicianship and ability to draw a veritable orchestral palette of sound from the piano, for 21 years he has been a Resident Artist at the Australian National Academy of Music and is the Head of Piano, training Australia’s most talented young musicians.

His partnership with leading Australian and international musicians and ensembles has included recent recitals in the Boulez Saal season in Berlin with soprano Siobhan Stagg, touring Australia for Musica Viva and Castiglione Arts and Culture with violinist Ray Chen and New Zealand with Ensemble Liaison for Chamber Music NZ. He has been a guest with the Australian String Quartet for their festivals in Dunkeld and Margaret River, the Australia Ensemble, the Tin Alley String Quartet, the Australian Brass Quintet and many others. Numerous collaborations have included soprano Siobhan Stagg, violists Roger Benedict, Brett Dean, Caroline Henbest, Andra Darzins, cellists David Pereira, Howard Penny, Philippe Muller, Alexander Ivashkin, Alexander Baillie, Johannes Moser, Suren Bagratuni, clarinetists Michael Collins, Paul Dean, violinists Ray Chen, Tasmin Little, Anthony Marwood, Oleh Krysa, Rudolf Koelman, Henning Kragerud, oboist Hansjorg Schellenberger, flautists Geoffrey Collins, Andrew Day and pianists Roy Howatt and  Michael Kieran-Harvey to name but a few.

As a founding member of Ensemble Liaison, he has presented a regular concert series in Melbourne for 17 years. Renowned for their innovative programming  and described by Limelight Magazine as a ‘National Treasure’, this collaboration has seen Timothy compose for the core trio and make countless arrangements for the ensemble’s wide variety of instrumentalists, actors, dancers and puppeteers. Numerous recordings with Ensemble Liaison have received critical acclaim on their own label EL Records, ABC Classics, Melba Records and Tall Poppies.

As a concerto soloist recent highlights include a memorable performance of Messiaen’s ‘Turangalilia Symphony’ at Hamer Hall with the Australian World Orchestra and conductor Simone Young, the Ravel Concerto with the MSO and conductor Benjamin Northey at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, play/directing a Mozart Concerto from the keyboard for the Mostly Mozart Series at the MRC with the ANAM Orchestra, Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Ginastera’s Piano Concerto n.1 with conductor Ilyich Rivas, Stravinsky’s Concerto for piano and winds with Paul Dean, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Fabian Russell.

Timothy studied at the University of Melbourne with Ronald Farren-Price and Mack Jost before completing his Diploma with distinction and a special mention to the Ministry of Education in Rome from the Nicolò Paganini Conservatorium in Genova, Italy under the direction of Lidia Baldecchi- Arcuri and Massimiliano Damerini. While studying in Italy Timothy won several first-prizes in International Music Competitions including the Premio Kawai-Tortona and the Palma d’Oro-Finale Ligure, along with other major prizes in the Premio Venezia and the Sanremo Classico International Piano Competition. A personal highlight was a special performance playing works by Luciano Berio for the composer at his 70th birthday celebrations in Genova.

Frequent festival appearances include the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville,  Huntington Festival, Queensland Biennial Festival of Music, the Australian Piano Duo Festival, the Melbourne International Arts Festival, Port Fairy Festival, Bangalow Music Festival, Stradbroke Island Festival, Melbourne International Festival of Brass, the Utzon Room music series at the Sydney Opera House, Canberra International Music Festival, the Perth Concert Hall Summer Series, Perth Festival, Woodend Festival, Adelaide Festival, the Novi Sad Music Summer Festival in Serbia, the Kotor Arts International Festival in Montenegro, MIMIR FestivalTexas, and the Capraia Festival of Music in Italy.

Timothy’s internationally acclaimed discography also champions Australian composers with a recent release for ABC Classics of Australian chamber works written for Ensemble Liaison and the complete works of Stuart Greenbaum for clarinet and piano with David Griffiths. For the Tall Poppies label he has recorded Australian piano and cello works with cellist, David Pereira. For Heritage Records UK with Penelope Thwaites he features in the complete two piano music of Percy Grainger. For the MOVE record label he has recorded Michael Kieran-Harvey’s Symphony without orchestra and for the Melba label in Australia he has recorded a solo recital of works by the Australian George Frederick Boyle, along with numerous collaborations with violist Roger Benedict, and the complete works of Stravinsky for piano and violin with violinist Ray Chen. Other recital disks include performances with soprano Cheryl Barker and virtuoso violin and piano works with Christian Li for the distinguished Decca label UK.