Anthony Hewitt

Award-winning British pianist Anthony Hewitt is well-known and respected as a musician of integrity, and a pianist of versatility and virtuosity. His performances and recordings have been met with critical acclaim (“a remarkably gifted artist”, The Gramophone), and his unique projects have captured the imagination and admiration of the public.

Anthony has performed internationally with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C, with with orchestras in Germany, Poland, and Russia, and with many of the UK’s leading orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic, English Chamber, Orchestra of the Swan, Manchester Camerata and Royal Northern Sinfonia. Venues in the UK include London’s Royal Festival Hall, Purcell Room, Symphony Hall in Birmingham, and no less than eight recitals at Wigmore Hall.

His discography includes ‘Protégé’ (Divine Art Records) - the first coupling on disc of the Liszt and Reubke Sonatas - which was praised in International Record Review as "magisterial", and received a Gramophone recommendation. His debut CD Live at Wigmore Hall was described in BBC Music Magazine as “displaying a fine communicative and poetic musicianship". His 2015 recording of the complete Preludes of Alexander Skryabin won him plaudits from the press, including from the Guardian which praised it for its “command and understanding”. Most recently his 2022 recording on Naxos of Bowen viola and piano works with violist Yue Yu was rated as being equal to the finest in the catalogue.

He has formed many regular chamber music partnerships including a duo with cellist Thomas Carroll, Dimension Piano Trio, and a two piano duo with Japanese pianist Miki Yumihari. Other collaborations include with Emma Johnson, Jess Gillam, Chloe Hanslip, Martin Roscoe, Jess Dandy, and Daniel Rowland.

In 2004, Anthony founded the Ulverston International Music Festival with the aim of bringing internationally renowned artists and high quality artists and groups to a rural part of England alongside educational work in the community.

He continues to enjoy a diverse musical life as a solo pianist, festival director, professor of piano at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, collaborative chamber musician, jury panelist, and is a frequent visitor to the Far East where he is held in high regard for his engaging master classes for young pianists. He performs and teaches young musicians annually at festivals in Holland, Italy and France.

By far his most unique ‘feet’ to date was under the guise of the ‘Olympianist’, where he cycled 1200 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats with a piano in his ‘BeethoVan’ and gave a full-length recital at the end of each day. He performed over thirty engagements in total and raised £13,000 for charity. In 2017 he cycled overnight from London to Birmingham Town Hall to perform Ravel’s ‘Gaspard de la Nuit’ at 6am - fiendishly difficult to play at the best of times!

Most recently Anthony organised and presented a series of eighteen online piano recitals from St. Mary’s Barrow during the 2021 lockdown, raising local spirits and giving professional pianists an artistic lifeline. For the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the ‘BeethoVan’ made a reappearance on the lanes of the lakes with a mini tour of remote locations as well as a pop-up performance on the cobbled streets of Ulverston, replete with break-dancers! He continues to champion and support outreach activities and causes in the community, and brings a regular concert series to Ulverston Parish Church.

2024 sees the 20th anniversary of the Ulverston Festival and the 40th anniversary since Anthony’s debut recital in the area as a young boy! Anthony splits his time between London, Birmingham and the Lake District where he enjoys cycling up the many famed ascents and steep passes.

Image credit to Patrick Allen