András Schiff

Infobox musical artist

|
Name = András Schiff
| Background = classical_ensemble
Born = birth date and age|1953|12|21
flagicon|HUN Budapest, Hungary
Instrument = Piano
Genre = Classical
Occupation = Pianist
Years_active =
URL =

András Schiff (born December 21, 1953) is a Hungarian-born British classical pianist.

Schiff was born in Budapest and began piano lessons at the age five with Elisabeth Vadasz. Schiff studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, and later in London with George Malcolm. He emigrated from Hungary in 1979. [cite news | author=Stephen Moss | title=Bach to the future | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/friday_review/story/0,,296686,00.html | work=The Guardian | date=1999-05-14 | accessdate=2007-08-28]

In 1999 he formed his own chamber orchestra, the "Cappella Andrea Barca". He has since appeared as a conductor with many major orchestras.

Schiff is one of the best-known living interpreters of J.S. Bach, Franz Schubert, and Robert Schumann. He has also recorded and championed the work of Leoš Janáček and Sándor Veress. He has recently begun to perform in recital and to record the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven. He has previously recorded for the Decca and Teldec labels, among others. His Beethoven sonata cycle is being released in installments by the German ECM New Series label.

Schiff has been a British citizen since 2001. He is married to the violinist Yuuko Shiokawa.

Awards and Recognitions

*Finalist in Leeds International Pianoforte Competition (1975)
*Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra): English Suites by Bach (Grammy Awards of 1990)
*Claudio Arrau Memorial Medal (1994)
*Léonie Sonning Music Prize (1997)
*Royal Academy of Music Bach Prize (2007)

References

External links

* [http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/11/schiff_on_beethoven.html Andras Schiff: Beethoven Lecture-recitals at Wigmore Hall, London]
* [http://www.npr.org/programs/pt/features/schiff.html National Public Radio Article]
* [http://www.pittsburghsymphony.org/pghsymph.nsf/bios/Andr%C3%A1s+Schiff Andras Schiff biography] at the Pittsburgh Symphony