Natalie Burch

An alumnus of Chetham’s School of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Natalie Burch is a dedicated song pianist and curator, interested in the political and social intersection of music and its audiences. She regularly presents recitals at festivals across the country, is an advocate for increasing female representation in the song-piano world and is co-founder of the Devon Song Festival.

Much in demand as a song specialist, Natalie regularly collaborates with a number of award-winning artists. Recent and future projects include her debut at the Aldeburgh Festival alongside Lotte Betts-Dean and James Way, a performance of ‘Schwanengesang’ with Roderick Williams at the Oxford International Song Festival and the release of the complete Britten Canticles on Delphian Records.

Natalie is an experienced programmer, researcher and producer, recently producing a recital disk with Fleur Barron and Francesca Chiejina, released on Delphian Records and contributing a chapter on the songs of Elizabeth Maconchy to an upcoming Cambridge University Press compendium on the composers’ life.

Past performance highlights include Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer and Stephen Hough’s Other Love Songs at Wigmore Hall, a new commission by Daniel Kidane for St. John’s Smith Square, performances at the Sage Gateshead, Blackheath Halls, the Little Venice Festival, International Lied Festival Zeist and the Oxford Lieder Festival as well as a recording with tenor Robert Murray for BBC Radio 3’s Private Passions and a concert tour with RPS nominated soprano/composer Héloïse Werner.

Natalie won the accompaniment prize at the 2015 Maureen Lehane Awards at Wigmore Hall, was a finalist alongside Song Prize winner Helen Charlston (2020) and 2nd Prize winner James Way (2017) at the Kathleen Ferrier Awards and is an alumnus of the Britten-Pears, Leeds Lieder and International Lied Festival Zeist Young Artist Programme and is a Samling Artist. In 2019 She competed at both the Das Lied and Wigmore Hall International Song competitions, performing alongside mezzo Felicity Turner.

Resident pianist and trustee for Opera Prelude, Natalie regularly plays for masterclasses given by eminent singers and teachers including Sir John Tomlinson, Roderick Williams, Neil Shicoff and Dame Anne Evans. She has worked as a repetiteur and orchestral pianist under conductors such as Alice Farnham and Jessica Cottis as well as performing in unconducted orchestras and directing small ensembles from the piano, including as orchestral pianist with the Shanghai Opera for the UK premier of their production of The Wager at the Barbican and as part of the ensemble for SWAP’RA gala at Opera Holland Park.

Natalie studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama where she was a fellow and gained her Masters with distinction under Eugene Asti and Andrew West. She studied at Chetham’s School of Music and in 2014 graduated with first class honors in musicology from King’s College London with piano at the Royal Academy of Music. She continues her studies with Susan Manoff.

Updated 10.9.24