Roger Owens

Biography

Roger Owens has established himself as one of the most versatile of pianists. His repertoire is unusually wide and ranges from Gibbons to Hoddinott, whose music he has premiered on several occasions. He has appeared regularly at the major musical centres of the United Kingdom where his playing has been acclaimed for combining effortless virtuoso technique with a warm tonal palette and vivid sensitivity. Recent highlights have been performances of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Barbican, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with the Bach Choir and the Philharmonia at the Royal Festival Hall, Grieg’s Piano Concerto at The Anvil, Basingstoke and an appearance at the Freden International Music Festival in Germany where his playing was described as ‘music making of overwhelming intensity...an outstanding combination of passion, musical depth and technical expertise’ (Andreas Bode, Hildesheimer Allgemeine Zeitung). Roger studied privately with Peter Gould and then at the Royal College of Music with John Barstow MBE, where he was presented with both the Chappell and Tagore Gold Medals. A placement on the Countess of Munster Recital scheme helped to launch his career. He went on to win the Royal Over-Seas League Piano Competition along with the Bryden Thomson recital prize at the Scottish International Piano Competition. Roger is a skilled communicator whose engaging personality makes him a popular visitor to music societies throughout the British Isles. He has performed as soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe, most recently in Spain and Germany, and has broadcast for BBC Radio 3, Classic FM and German radio.

Research Interest

Piano