George Needham

Increasingly sought-after as a recitalist of ‘deep understanding’, prize-winning

pianist George Needham performs regularly throughout the UK and Europe. Aside fromfrequent appearances in solo, chamber music and song settings, he has enjoyedcollaborations with orchestras such as the Norddeutsche Philharmonie.

He also nurtures an ongoing relationship with the Cumbria Opera Festival, where

he regularly gives song recitals and premieres specially-commissioned pieces.

Competitive successes and participation in young artist programmes have afforded GeorgeNeedham an increasingly broad range of performance opportunities in recent years. He was a prize-winner at the 2022 International Verfemte Musik Competition, allowing him to championthe music of composers ostracised under National Socialism in the twentieth century. He wasnamed a Young Artist of the 2019 Leeds Lieder Festival, and a Britten-Pears Young Artist in2020. He was awarded the accompanist’s prize at the 2018 AESS Courtney Kenny Song Competition.

As of autumn 2020, he is studying with Matthias Kirschnereit at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Rostock, Germany, with the support of the Ad Inifintum scholarship. After graduating with first-class honours from Oxford University, he continued his pianistic studies with Helen Krizos at the Royal Northern College Music, graduating with first-classhonours and prizes in 2020. He was supported during this time by Oglesby Charitable Trustand Drapers ’ Music scholarships, the William and Frances Dobie Charitable Foundation, and postgraduate awards from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust and Help Musicians UK. His musical and intellectual horizons were further broadened through study of thepoetry and performance of the German Lied at the Franz- Schubert-Institut, Baden-bei-Wien.

He has worked in masterclass settings with such musicians as Stephen Kovacevich, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Lars Vogt, Pascal Rogé, Roger Vignoles, Julius Drake, Helmut Deutsch and Malcolm Martineau.