Sir Stephen Hough is widely regarded as one of the most important and distinctive pianists of his generation. From highly acclaimed performances of central repertoire in recital, in recording, and with the world’s greatest orchestras, to an interest in contemporary and neglected nineteenth-century works, he integrates the imagination and pianistic colour of the past with the scholarship and intellectual rigour of the present, illuminating the very essence of the music he plays. He was awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 2001 in recognition of his achievements, and he was knighted in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours list in 2022. Since winning first prize in the Naumburg International Piano Competition in 1983, he has appeared regularly with most of the major American and European orchestras under a range of leading conductors.
Sir Stephen Hough is widely regarded as one of the most important and distinctive pianists of his generation. From highly acclaimed performances of central repertoire in recital, in recording, and with the world’s greatest orchestras, to an interest in contemporary and neglected nineteenth-century works, he integrates the imagination and pianistic colour of the past with the scholarship and intellectual rigour of the present, illuminating the very essence of the music he plays. He was awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 2001 in recognition of his achievements, and he was knighted in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours list in 2022.
Since winning first prize in the Naumburg International Piano Competition in 1983, he has appeared regularly with most of the major American and European orchestras under a range of leading conductors.