Robert Birchall

Robert began learning music first on his own initiative before starting piano and music lessons in his home town of Stafford with Percy Jones. He attended Chethams Music School and then studied privately with Ian Gleaves before going on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music where his principal teacher was George Hadjinikos.

Robert has wide and varied teaching experience; as well as teaching privately and at schools and colleges in England he also taught music in Iceland where he lived and worked for a number of years.

Robert has established a reputation as an exciting solo pianist with an exceptionally wide expressive range and repertoire, he has performed extensively in recitals and concertos throughout the U.K, at festivals in Europe and Scandinavia and as far afield as the Middle East in music ranging from the English 16th-century keyboard composers, through many of the major classical and romantic works to 20th-century repertoire.

He has given highly praised performances of such demanding works as the 'Catalogue d'Oiseaux' of Messiaen, Ligeti 'Etudes', the complete Bach 'Well Tempered Klavier' and Messiean 'Vingt Regards'. Reviews of his playing have praised his 'authoritative pianism', 'complete command of tone and colour' and 'stunning virtuosity'.

For more information about our Keyboard staff please visit our department staff page