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.

FEATURED EVENTS

11 October 2024, 7.30pm

In this recital I will be presenting one of my favourite Musical Liaisons recital programmes, pairing rare works (Isserlis, Pouličková, Tailleferre, Boulanger) with famous ones (Beethoven, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Chopin).

The programme will also feature poems written by Daniela Poulíčková to compliment the three compositions by her mother Jelena. Daniela will also recite the poems.

18-29 September 2024

I can’t wait to return to one my favourite places on Earth!

18-20 September, Jakarta: Master classes, Jakarta Conservatory of Music
21 September, Jakarta: Grieg Piano Concerto with Jakarta Sinfonietta
25 September, Surabaya: Solo and duo recital with violinist Finna Kurniawati
26 September, Semerang: Master classes
27-28 September, Bandung: Master classes
29 September, Bandung; Solo recital

8 November, 7.30pm

The beautiful village of Lamberhurst lies within some of the most beautiful parts of the Kent countryside. The festival, founded in 2003, takes place at St Mary’s Church, well known for its fabulous acoustic.

My programme will include works by Schubert, Beethoven (‘Moonlight’ Sonata), Rachmaninoff, Chopin as well as my own arrangements of works by Elgar, Poulenc and Gurney.