Stephen Kovacevich
Born in Los-Angeles, Stephen Kovacevich made his debut at the age of 11 in California. At 18, he moved to England and began working with Dame Myra Hess.
Although renowned for his interpretations of classical composers, his musical tastes are very eclectic and composers such as Rodney Bennett and John Taverner have dedicated concertos to him. Recently he premiered Southen Lament by the American Stephen Montague at the Cheltenham International Music Festival as well as at the BBC Proms and the Royal Festival halte Londres.
Pianist of character, he engraves the texts with a full sonority. His in-depth knowledge of the works is there but his gaze is always fresh, always seeking to discover and bring out the composer's simplicity, tenderness or rage.
Stephen Kovacevich has been a guest of the Berliner Philharmonic with Simon Rattle, the London Philharmonic with Kurt Masur, the Montreal Symphony with Charles Dutoit, Cleveland Orchestra, Pittsburg Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Israel Philharmonic.
He played Beethoven's 5 concertos with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Joseph Swensen.
Stephen Kovacevich also devotes himself to chamber music, as evidenced by the legendary recording of Beethoven's cello sonatas with Jacqueline Dupré, as well as Bartok with Martha Argerich. He also has Steven Isserlis Nigel Kennedy, Renaud Capu-çon, Lynn Harrell, Sarah Chang, Truls Mork and Emmanuel Pahud as partners.
Stephen Kovacevich also practices conducting. Since his debut in 1984 at the head of the Houston Symphony he has conducted the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the City of Birmingham Symphony, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC symphony, London Philharmonic, Youth Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, New Zealand Symphony, the orchestras of Copenhagen and Lisbon and the Los Angeles with which he collaborates regularly. From 1986 to 1990 he was Principal Guest Conductor of the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Stephen Kovacevich recorded for Philips, which in 2016 brought together all of his recordings in a box of 25 CDs, and EMI / Warner Classics, which published the complete 32 Beethoven sonatas unanimously praised by the international press.
