Winner of the 1970 Tchaikovsky International Competition
Sublime and candid expression
True pianism drawn by a British master
Re-visit Japan in 2014, the anniversary year of her 70th birthday! !
- From a recent concert review
“Under Lil's fingers, music comes to life...every sound has meaning and speaks eloquently...”
(The Sun Break)
“In the world I cannot find a pianist of the highest integrity to match Lille.
(The Glasgow Herald)
“Awesome, incredible, incredible…awesome”
(Pianist Magazine)
“The closest perfect pianist we could hope for”
(The Guardian)
■January 31, 2012・Tokyo Bunka Kaikan <Small>■
Inviting the listener to a world of natural and human sounds, free from the dizziness of modern society and aggressive artificial sounds... With vivid rhythms and clear articulations, he is this composer. (Beethoven)'s solitary state is expressed. The gradation of sound was truly beautiful, and the details of the piano were well thought out... "Passion" has a consistent tempo throughout, and the acoustics have been amplified from the first half, forming a magnificent drama. Although Lil is already in her late 60s, I was able to enjoy her fresh and sophisticated pianism. (Ongaku no Tomo March 2012 issue)
Making full use of his strong and large body, his approach to conveying Beethoven, which is heavy and rich in volume, is eye-catching, and his understanding of the outlines of his expressive, elegant expressions is very Beethoven-like. It made me feel like I was listening to Beethoven. (Musica Nova May 2012 issue)
- profile
John Lill
A pianist who has been active on the front lines of the world for over 50 years. Showing his talent from an early age, he gave his first solo recital at the age of 9, performed Rachmaninov's Concerto No. 3 under the baton of Adrian Boult at the age of 18, and then made his debut in London with Beethoven's "Emperor" at the London Festival Hall. , received rave reviews. In 1970, he won the 1st prize at the Tchaikovsky International Competition and came into the limelight.
He has established himself as one of the leading pianists of his generation, giving recitals in more than 50 countries, and performing as a soloist with many of the world's top orchestras. He has performed in various European cities such as Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Prague, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna, Russia, Asia and Australia. In the United States, he has performed as a guest with the Cleveland Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the Seattle Symphony, the Boston Symphony, the Washington Symphony, and the San Diego Symphony.
Boasting a wide repertoire, including over 70 concertos. Among them, Beethoven's interpretation is highly evaluated, and he has held a series of sonata concerts in England, the United States, and Japan. In the UK, he has performed over 30 times at the BBC Promenade Concert. He has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and others.
Recent recitals include the Indianapolis Symphony, the Gothenburg Symphony, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, the Czech Philharmonic, and the Royal Festival Hall of London.
Deutsche Grammophon, EMI (Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos / Royal Scottish Orchestra conducted by Alexander Gibson), ASV [City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted], etc.
Malcolm Arnold's Fantasy on a Theme by John Field (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vernon Handley) is dedicated to and recorded by Lil. Also released Rachmaninoff's complete concertos and solo piano works from Nimbus Records. In commemoration of his 60th birthday, Schumann's work (Pleasure) and Schumann, Brahms and Haydn Sonatas were released from Signum Records.
He has been awarded eight honorary doctorates from British universities and special scholarships from leading music colleges and academies. In 1977 and 2005 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his services to music.
In 2014, the year of his 70th anniversary, he performed Beethoven's complete sonata series in England, Beethoven's concertos in Moscow, Beijing, Vienna, etc., and a birthday concert at the Royal Festival Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Co-starring in Rachmaninov's Concerto No. 3, the performance was broadcast live on BBC Radio, showing further success. Living in London.
