Yamaha Pianos in conversation with John Lill

In an interview filmed at Malvern Theatres, John Lill describes the inevitability of becoming a pianist, his East London working class roots, and the tragedy and humour of Beethoven. He discusses pivotal moments in his 60-year career, his acclaimed performance in the Tchaikovsky Piano Competition, and recording versus recitals. He also expresses his opinion of Yamaha's CFX concert Grand.

Looking back over a concert career spanning more than 50 years, it is apparent that John’s rare talent emerged at an early age. He gave his first piano recital at just 9 years of age and at 18 he performed Rachmaninov's 3rd Piano Concerto under Sir Adrian Boult. This was followed by his highly acclaimed London debut playing Beethoven's 'Emperor' Piano Concerto at the Royal Festival Hall. John’s success was reflected in many prestigious international prizes and awards and, in 1970, he won the most coveted of these, the Moscow International Tchaikovsky Competition, further consolidating his already busy international concert schedule.

His career has taken him to over fifty countries, both as a recitalist and as a soloist with the world's greatest orchestras. His extensive repertoire includes more than seventy concertos, and he is acclaimed in particular as a leading interpreter of Beethoven, whose complete sonata cycle he has performed on several occasions in the UK, USA and Japan. In Britain John has given over thirty BBC Promenade concerts and regularly appears with all the major symphony orchestras. He has toured overseas with the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, City of Birmingham, Hallé, Royal Scottish National and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestras.

Most recently John has performed with, amongst others, the Seattle Symphony, St Petersburg Philharmonic, London Philharmonic and Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2012-13, he returns to Japan for concerts with Sapporo Symphony and Tadaaki Otaka and is reunited with Walter Weller and the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra.

John’s most recent recording projects have been the 60th birthday release of piano works by Schumann on the Classics for Pleasure label and two new releases for Signum records of Schumann and Brahms and Haydn Piano Sonatas.
John has been awarded eight Honorary Doctorates from British universities as well as several Fellowships from leading musical colleges and academies. He lives in London and was awarded the OBE in 1977 and the CBE for his services to music in the 2005 New Year’s Honours List.

www.askonasholt.co.uk/artists/instrumentalists/piano/john-lill