Finghin Collins - pianist
Since winning first prize at the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition in Vevey, Switzerland in 1999, Dublin-born pianist Finghin Collins enjoys a flourishing international career that embraces Europe the USA, Hong Kong and Korea. He has performed with such prestigious orchestras as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Gulbenkian Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and collaborating with conductors include Christoph Eschenbach, Hans Graf, Emmanuel Krivine, Nicholas McGegan, Sakari Oramo, Tadaaki Otaka, Heinrich Schiff, Vassily Sinaisky and Leonard Slatkin. He was recently appointed the first Associate Artist of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. The position will last for three seasons, starting in 2010/11.
He has performed throughout Europe in venues including Symphony Hall Birmingham, Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam (both halls), Théâtre du Châtelet and Salle Cortot Paris, Salle Molièr, Lyon, Liederhalle, Stuttgart, Palao de la Musica Valencia, Gulbenkian Hall Lisbon, Philharmonic Hall Warsaw, and the Auditorium Stravinski Montreux. He has also performed at Carnegie Hall, New York, as well as at both the Ravinia and Gilmore Festivals in the USA.
European Festival appearances include the Klavier-Festival Ruhr and Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival (Germany), Lockenhaus Festival (Austria), Delft International Chamber Music Festival (Holland), Chopin Festival (Poland), Musical Olympus Festival (Russia), Festival de Bellerive (Switzerland), Bergen International Chamber Music and Elverum Festival (Norway) as well as Harrogate, Chichester and Chester International Music Festivals (England) and the Septembre Musical de l'Orne (France).
In May 2005 Lyric fm released his début solo CD album; entitled 'Impromptu', featuring 19 sparkling piano classics. In May 2006 Claves Records in Switzerland released a double CD set of Schumann receiving high praise in the international press, including "Editor's Choice" in Gramophone Magazine, 4 stars in BBC Music Magazine and 5 Diapasons in "Diapason" Magazine in France. A further double album was released in March 2009 to great acclaim, including 5 Diapasons. A recording of works for piano and orchestra by Stanford has just been released by Claves.
In August 2008 he made his début at the BBC Proms in London, performing Stanford’s Second Piano Concerto with the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Kenneth Montgomery returning in 2010 to perform with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. During the 2008/09 season he made débuts with the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Tatsuya Shimono, the Seoul Philharmonic conducted by Myung-Whun Chung, the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ralf Sochaczewsky and the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz conducted by Ari Rasilainen, as well as giving a solo recital at the Wigmore Hall in London and, together with soprano Lenneke Ruiten, a recital at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
Last season included performances with the Northern Sinfonia, the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, the Arnhaltische Philharmonie Dessau, the Ulster Orchestra and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. He also made his début at the Korea International Music Festival as well as giving a major recital tour of Korea with cellist Han-Na Chang. In January this year he played for the first time in the National Concert Hall's Celebrity Recital Series in Dublin, and in May in Cadogan Hall’s Celebrity Recital Series in London with the cellist Guy Johnston.
As well as regular appearances in Ireland engagements this season and beyond include recitals at the Festival Printemps des Arts in Monte Carlo and at the Wigmore Hall in London and concertos with Het Brabants Orkest in The Netherlands, the Norrkopings Symfoniorkester in Sweden, the Orchestre de Bretagne and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
Finghin Collins studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music with John O'Conor and at the Geneva Conservatoire with Dominique Merlet. As well as being Musician in Residence at South Dublin County Council, he is Artist in Residence at Waterford Institute of Technology and Artistic Director of the New Ross Piano Festival. He acknowledges the support of The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon and Music Network through the Music Capital Scheme 2008.