SAM HAYWOOD

‘Passionate flair and sparkling clarity’
New York Times

BIOGRAPHY

Sam Haywood has performed in many of the world’s major concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Tonhalle in Zürich. Private audiences have included Princess Diana, David Attenborough and the then Vice-Presidents Biden and Xi. The New York Times hailed his ‘Passionate flair and sparkling clarity’ and the Washington Post his ‘dazzling, evocative playing’. Sam embraces a wide spectrum of the piano repertoire and is equally at home as soloist and chamber musician. His highly acclaimed duo with violinist Joshua Bell toured all over the world for over a decade and he has also performed on many occasions with cellist Steven Isserlis.

He has released two solo albums of music for Hyperion Records, and other recordings for Sony, Deux- Elles and Toccata Classics. Passionate about early instruments, he made a Chopin disc on the composer’s own Pleyel piano to celebrate his bicentenary in 2010.

He has composed several instrumental miniatures, including ‘The Other Side’, first performed at the Konzerthaus in Vienna. His Song of the Penguins for bassoon and piano is published by Emerson Editions.

Sam is also the Artistic Director and co-founder (with his wife Sophia) of the Solent Music Festival, set in the beautiful sailing town of Lymington. Guest artists over the past twelve years have included Steven Isserlis, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Michael Portillo (his ‘Piano Desert Island Discs’), The King’s Singers and Tenebrae. The festival now has its own orchestra, comprising mainly members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the City of London Sinfonia.

He lives in Tonbridge with Sophia, their two sons James (5) and Archie (2) and Poppy the cockapoo. Amongst his non-musical passions are magic, Greek food, walking in the Kent countryside with Poppy, getting lost in a book, writing letters in cafés with a fountain pen and a good coffee.

PROGRAMMES

MUSICAL LIAISONS: Chopin paired with women composers

Kaprálová: Dubnová preludia Op. 13 Nos 1,3,4
Chopin: Prelude Op. 28 No. 24 in D minor

Teresa Carreño: Venise Op 33
Chopin Ballade No 4 in F minor Op 52

Mel Bonis: Etude de concert
Frédéric Chopin: Scherzo No 2 in B flat minor Op 31

Interval

Germaine Tailleferre Impromptu in E major
Chopin Fantasy Impromptu Op 66

Peggy Glanville-Hicks: Pastorale
Chopin Scherzo No 1 in B minor Op 20

Jelena Poulíčková Lullaby
Chopin Polonaise in A flat Op 53 (Heroic)

ANNIVERSARIES & ARRANGEMENTS Beethoven's own favourite piano sonata, a selection of works by composers with anniversaries, three arrangements by Sam and Chopin's recently discovered Waltz in A minor.

BEETHOVEN: Sonata No 24 in F sharp major Op 78

2025 Anniversaries
SATIE (100 anniversary of death): Gnossienne No 4, Le piccadilly
EINAUDI 70th anniversary of birth) Elegy for the Arctic
RAVEL (100th anniversary of death): Pavane pour une infante défunte

GRIEG: Holberg Suite

Interval

Arrangements by Sam Haywood
ELGAR: Chanson de matin
GURNEY: Sleep (from 5 Elizabethan Songs)
POULENC: Trio movement (from Trio for oboe, bassoon and piano)

CHOPIN
Waltz in F major Op 34 No 3
Waltz in A minor (recently discovered)
Waltz in D flat major Op 64 No 1 (Minute)
Waltz in A flat major Op 69 No 1 (Les adieux)
Grande valse brillante in E flat major Op 18