Angela Hewitt

Angela Hewitt OBE, OC (born July 26, 1958) is a Canadian classical pianist who is generally regarded as one of the world's foremost Bach pianists. She also holds British nationality through her father, Godfrey, who was the cathedral organist in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Angela Hewitt began her piano studies at age 3, performed in public at 4, and won her first music scholarship at 5. Aside from the piano, she also studied violin, recorder, and ballet (at Mme. Toumine's school in Ottawa). Her first recital was in the Royal Conservatory in Toronto at the age of 9. She studied at the Toronto Conservatory from 1964 to 1973. She then went on to study with the French pianist, Jean-Paul Sévilla, at the University of Ottawa. She placed first in the Gian Battista Viotti competition in 1978 and in 1985 won the Toronto International Bach piano competition.

Angela Hewitt has performed internationally as a soloist with renowned orchestras and has made many recordings. In 1994, the Hyperion record label signed her to record all the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach, a project that was recently completed and spanned 14 discs. (Deutsche Grammophon had been given an opportunity to be involved in such a project, but after hearing her first disc, which she recorded as part of her prize for the Toronto competition, they were not enthusiastic, saying there was no market for Bach on the piano. [Limelight, January 2008, review, p. 47] )Angela Hewitt also has made notable recordings of the works of some French composers — including François Couperin, Emmanuel Chabrier, Maurice Ravel, and Olivier Messiaen. These recordings have also been well received.

Angela Hewitt is the founder and artistic director of the Trasimeno Music Festival, held annually since 2005 in Magione, Italy.

Since 1985 Angela Hewitt has lived in London. She also has homes in Canada and Umbria, Italy. In 2000, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada (OC). She was created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on 17 June 2006.

References

External links

* [http://www.angelahewitt.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.trasimenomusicfestival.com/ Trasimeno Music Festival]
* [http://www.bachworldtour.com/ Bach World Tour]