Marc-André Hamelin’s startlingly original blend of musicianship and virtuosity has earned him legendary status as a true avatar of the piano. Long known for his matchless exploration of unfamiliar pianistic terrain, Mr Hamelin is now recognized worldwide for the originality and technical brilliance of his performances of the classic repertoire. He has appeared as guest soloist with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Montréal Symphony, the Boston Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the London Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony, and many others. Writing in The New Yorker, senior critic Alex Ross pronounced: ‘Hamelin’s legend will grow—right now there is no one like him.’

Mr Hamelin is heard as recitalist throughout the United States and his native Canada, as well as in Europe, Australia and the Far East. Recently Mr Hamelin was presented with a rarely bestowed lifetime achievement prize by the German Record Critics’ Award (Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik). He has recorded some fifty CDs for Hyperion, including concertos by Alkan, Bernstein, Bolcom, Henselt, Korngold, Joseph Marx, Reger, Rubinstein and Scharwenka, and works for solo piano by (among others) Albéniz, Alkan, Chopin, Haydn, Liszt, Medtner, Reger and Schumann. His long-awaited recording of his own Études in all the minor keys was triumphantly received.

Marc-André Hamelin was honoured to be made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2003 and a Chevalier de l’Ordre du Québec in 2004; he is also a member of the Royal Society of Canada. He makes his home in Boston.