Masters of the Bench

One of the most distinctive artists of his generation, Stephen Hough combines a distinguished career as a pianist with those of composer and writer. Named by The Economist as one of Twenty Living Polymaths, Hough was the first classical performer to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship and was appointed CBE in the New Year’s Honours 2014.
Hough’s extensive discography has garnered international awards including the Diapason d’Or de l’Annee, several Grammy nominations, and eight Gramophone Awards including Record of the Year and the Gold Disc. Recent releases include a live recording of Schumann and Dvořák’s piano concertos with Andris Nelsons and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and a solo disc of Scriabin and Janáček, both for Hyperion Records. His award-winning iPad app The Liszt Sonata was released by Touch Press in 2013.
As a composer Hough has been commissioned by Wigmore Hall, Musée du Louvre, London’s National Gallery, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, and the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet.
As a writer Stephen Hough has been published by The Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian and The Independent. A Governor of the Royal Ballet companies, Hough is a Visiting Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, the International Chair of Piano Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music and is on the faculty of The Juilliard School in New York.