# Piers Lane

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Piers_Lane
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Piers_Lane.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piers_Lane
> Source revision: 1350807394
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Australian pianist (born 1958)

Piers Lane AO Lane, pictured as the artistic director of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music Background information Born 8 January 1958 (1958-01-08) (age 68) London, UK Genres Classical music Occupations Pianist; academic; festival director Instrument Piano Years active 1977–present Website http://www.pierslane.com/ Alma mater Queensland Conservatorium

Musical artist

**Piers Lane** [AO](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_Australia) (born 8 January 1958)[1] is an Australian [classical](/source/Classical_music) [pianist](/source/Pianist).

## Early life and education

Lane's English father and Australian mother met while auditioning as piano students for the [Royal College of Music](/source/Royal_College_of_Music). Lane was born in London and he grew up in [Brisbane](/source/Brisbane). He graduated with a Medal of Excellence from the [Queensland Conservatorium of Music](/source/Queensland_Conservatorium_Griffith_University),[2] where his teacher was [Nancy Weir](/source/Nancy_Weir), winning the Margaret Nickson Prize in 1978[3] and the Ruby C Cooling prize in 1977 and 1978.[4] He was later awarded an [honorary doctorate](/source/Honorary_degree) by the conservatorium.[5]

He first came to prominence at the inaugural [Sydney International Piano Competition](/source/Sydney_International_Piano_Competition) in 1977, at which he was named Best Australian Pianist (he was a judge at the 2004 competition). He later studied overseas on a [Churchill Fellowship](/source/Churchill_Fellowship).[6]

## Career

This section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. Find sources: "Piers Lane" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Highlights of Lane's career include a standing ovation for Busoni's [Piano Concerto](/source/Piano_Concerto_(Busoni)) at [Carnegie Hall](/source/Carnegie_Hall) in New York with the [American Symphony Orchestra](/source/American_Symphony_Orchestra) under [Leon Botstein](/source/Leon_Botstein);[6] Beethoven's [*Emperor* Concerto](/source/Piano_Concerto_No._5_(Beethoven)) with [The Queensland Orchestra](/source/The_Queensland_Orchestra), which received a [Limelight Award](/source/Limelight_Award) for Best Orchestral Concert of 2007; concerto appearances with the [City of Birmingham Symphony](/source/City_of_Birmingham_Symphony_Orchestra), [London Philharmonic](/source/London_Philharmonic_Orchestra), [Hallé](/source/The_Hall%C3%A9) and [Ulster Orchestras](/source/Ulster_Orchestra); a solo recital in Birmingham's [Symphony Hall](/source/Symphony_Hall%2C_Birmingham) for the [BBC](/source/BBC); a three-recital series called *Metamorphoses* and an all-[Chopin](/source/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Chopin) recital at the [Wigmore Hall](/source/Wigmore_Hall) in London;[6] and appearances in many major piano festivals in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Scandinavia. He has also played with all ABC and BBC Orchestras, the Aarhus, City of Birmingham, [Bournemouth](/source/Bournemouth_Symphony_Orchestra), [Gothenburg](/source/Gothenburg_Symphony) and [New Zealand Symphony Orchestras](/source/New_Zealand_Symphony_Orchestra), the Hallé, [Philharmonia](/source/Philharmonia_Orchestra), Kanazawa Ensemble and [City of London Sinfonia](/source/City_of_London_Sinfonia), the London, [Royal Liverpool Philharmonic](/source/Royal_Liverpool_Philharmonic) and [Royal Philharmonic Orchestras](/source/Royal_Philharmonic_Orchestra) and the [Orchestre National de France](/source/Orchestre_National_de_France) among many others. He has been soloist five times at the [BBC Proms](/source/BBC_Proms) in London's [Royal Albert Hall](/source/Royal_Albert_Hall).

Engagements in Australia and New Zealand during 2008 include a second national tour with [Cheryl Barker](/source/Cheryl_Barker) and her husband baritone [Peter Coleman-Wright](/source/Peter_Coleman-Wright) for [Musica Viva Australia](/source/Musica_Viva_Australia),[7] concerto performances in Christchurch and Dunedin and solo recitals in Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Newcastle, Noosa and Perth.

Recent collaborations as a chamber player have included a Musica Viva tour of Australia with violist/composer [Brett Dean](/source/Brett_Dean) and performances with [Anne Sofie von Otter](/source/Anne_Sofie_von_Otter) and [Bengt Forsberg](/source/Bengt_Forsberg)[8] in Malmö, Stockholm and the [Bergen International Festival](/source/Bergen_International_Festival). He continues his long-standing partnership with British violinist [Tasmin Little](/source/Tasmin_Little) in UK recital tours. Piers Lane is Patron of the [Accompanists Guild of Queensland, Inc.](https://www.accompanistsguildofqld.org.au)[9]

Since 2007, Lane is the artistic director of the [Australian Festival of Chamber Music](/source/Australian_Festival_of_Chamber_Music) held annually in [Townsville](/source/Townsville).[6]

Lane has an extensive discography on the [Hyperion](/source/Hyperion_Records) label and has also recorded for [EMI](/source/EMI), [Decca](/source/Decca_Records), [BMG](/source/Bertelsmann_Music_Group), [Lyrita](/source/Lyrita) and Unicorn-Khanchana. Recent releases from Hyperion include concertos by [Eyvind Alnæs](/source/Eyvind_Aln%C3%A6s) and [Christian Sinding](/source/Christian_Sinding), a [Delius](/source/Frederick_Delius) song disc with [Yvonne Kenny](/source/Yvonne_Kenny) and a recording of [Ernest Bloch](/source/Ernest_Bloch)'s Piano Quintets with the [Goldner String Quartet](/source/Richard_Goldner),[10] which was an Editor's Choice in the December 2007 *[Gramophone](/source/Gramophone_(magazine))* magazine and *[BBC Music Magazine](/source/BBC_Music_Magazine)*'s Record of the Month for February 2008. He is one of the few pianists to have recorded [John Ireland](/source/John_Ireland_(composer))'s [Piano Concerto in E-flat major](/source/Piano_Concerto_(Ireland)). In 2014 Hyperion released his recording of the complete piano concertos of [Malcolm Williamson](/source/Malcolm_Williamson), including the world premiere recording of the 4th Piano Concerto. Lane is a well-known voice on [BBC Radio 3](/source/BBC_Radio_3), having written and presented more than 100 programs, including a 54-part series called *The Piano*.

In 1994 he was made an Honorary Member of the [Royal Academy of Music](/source/Royal_Academy_of_Music), where he has been a professor of piano since 1989. In 2007 he received an honorary doctorate from [Griffith University](/source/Griffith_University), Brisbane. Lane is patron and an active supporter of the [Tait Memorial Trust](/source/Tait_Memorial_Trust) in London, a charitable foundation to support young Australian performing artists in the UK.

Lane is the artistic director of the [Myra Hess](/source/Myra_Hess) Day held annually at the [National Gallery](/source/National_Gallery) in London, and of the 2009 Bloch Festival at Wigmore Hall. Lane's recording of Ernest Bloch Piano Quintets Nos. 1 and 2 with the Goldner Quartet (Hyperion) was nominated for *BBC Music Magazine* Awards in 2009.[11]

In the [2012 Queen's Birthday Honours](/source/2012_Queen's_Birthday_Honours_(Australia)) list, Lane was named an Officer of the [Order of Australia](/source/Order_of_Australia) for "distinguished service to the performing arts as an internationally renowned classical pianist, to professional and cultural organisations, and to the development of emerging musicians".[12]

In April 2015, following the death of the inaugural artistic director [Warren Thomson](/source/Warren_Thomson) in February, Piers Lane was announced as the artistic director of the 2016 [Sydney International Piano Competition](/source/Sydney_International_Piano_Competition).[13]

Lane won the [Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award](/source/Sir_Bernard_Heinze_Memorial_Award) in 2022.[14]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** "Lane, Piers (1958–....)", *Catalogue général*, [Bibliothèque nationale de France](/source/Biblioth%C3%A8que_nationale_de_France), 16 September 2009, [BnF](/source/BNF_(identifier)) [139315758](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb139315758.public) Retrieved 10 April 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Queensland Conservatorium: Graduate success"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091011212738/http://www.griffith.edu.au/future-students/our-study-areas/music/why-study-at-griffith/graduate-success). Archived from [the original](http://www.griffith.edu.au/future-students/our-study-areas/music/why-study-at-griffith/graduate-success) on 11 October 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Margaret Nickson Prizes for Voice and Accompaniment"](http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/135743/Margaret-Nickson-2009.pdf) (PDF). *Griffith.edu.au*. Retrieved 9 September 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Ruby C Cooling Prize"](http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/135739/Ruby-C-Cooling-2009.pdf) (PDF). *Griffith.edu.au*. Retrieved 9 September 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Queensland Conservatorium: Honorary Fellows of the Conservatorium and Doctors of the University"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091003235415/http://www.griffith.edu.au/music/queensland-conservatorium/partnerships-collaboration). Archived from [the original](http://www.griffith.edu.au/music/queensland-conservatorium/partnerships-collaboration) on 3 October 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Spanswick_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Spanswick_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Spanswick_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Spanswick_6-3) ["Piers Lane in conversation with Melanie Spanswick"](https://melaniespanswick.com/2013/09/08/piers-lane-in-conversation-with-melanie-spanswick/). *melaniespanswick.com*. 8 September 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["A musical reunion"](https://theoperacritic.com/tocreviews2.php?review=sn/2008/sydbarkercwright0608.htm) by Sarah Noble, 2 June 2008, theoperacritic.com

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Piers Lane](http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/artist_page.asp?name=forsberg) at [Hyperion Records](/source/Hyperion_Records)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["AGQ Patron"](https://www.accompanistsguildofqld.org.au/committee/). Accompanists Guild of Queensland. Retrieved 20 February 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Ingpen & Williams Goldner Quartet page"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080309144941/http://www.ingpen.co.uk/artist_detail.php?aid=84). Archived from [the original](http://www.ingpen.co.uk/artist_detail.php?aid=84) on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 24 November 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Festival artists: Piers Lane"](http://www.afcm.com.au/events_artists.php?artistid=52) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20091012151445/http://afcm.com.au/events_artists.php?artistid=52) 12 October 2009 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), [Australian Festival of Chamber Music](/source/Australian_Festival_of_Chamber_Music)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) entry for Piers Lane"](https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1145762). *Australian Honours Database*. Canberra, Australia: [Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet](/source/Department_of_the_Prime_Minister_and_Cabinet_(Australia)). 11 June 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [Maxim Boon, "Piers Lane to lead Sydney International Piano Competition"](http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/piers-lane-lead-sydney-international-piano-competition), *[Limelight](/source/Limelight_(magazine))*, 8 April 2015 [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150410102110/http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/piers-lane-lead-sydney-international-piano-competition) 10 April 2015 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Ling, Susanna (1 November 2022). ["Piers Lane (AO) announced as recipient of 2022 Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award"](https://finearts-music.unimelb.edu.au/about-us/news/piers-lane-ao-announced-as-recipient-of-2022-sir-bernard-heinze-memorial-award). [Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Melbourne](/source/Faculty_of_Fine_Arts_and_Music%2C_University_of_Melbourne). Retrieved 10 April 2024.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.pierslane.com/)

- ["Piers Lane"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120922072812/http://www.hazardchase.co.uk/artists/piers_lane), Hazard Chase Music Management (archived 22 September 2012)

- ["Piers Lane (piano)"](https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/a.asp?a=A303), [Hyperion Records](/source/Hyperion_Records)

v t e Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award Ruth Alexander (1987) Frank Callaway (1988) Malcolm Williamson (1989) Patrick Thomas (1990) Beryl Kimber (1991) John Hopkins (1992) Leonard Dommett (1993) Peter Sculthorpe (1994) Yvonne Kenny (1995) Jan Sedivka (1996) Richard Mills (1997) Donald Hazelwood (1998) Richard Gill (1999) Don Burrows (2000) John Curro (2001) John Painter (2002) Stephen McIntyre (2003) Graeme Koehne (2004) Richard Divall (2005) Richard Tognetti (2006) Graham Abbott (2007) Barry Tuckwell (2008) Richard Bonynge (2009) Brett Dean (2010) Simone Young (2011) Carl Vine (2012) Roger Covell (2013) Anne Boyd (2014) Margaret Kartomi (2015) Mary Vallentine (2016) Ronald Farren-Price (2017) Judy Bailey (2018) Deborah Cheetham (2019) Richard Letts (2020) Lyn Williams (2021) Piers Lane (2022) Nicolette Fraillon (2023) Linda Barwick (2024) Wilma Smith (2025)

[Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
- [Biography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography)
- [Classical music](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Classical_music)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States France BnF data Czech Republic Poland Israel Finland Artists MusicBrainz People Deutsche Biographie Other IdRef Yale LUX

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Piers Lane](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piers_Lane) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piers_Lane?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.