Speakers Profile - Simon Tedeschi










Travels From:
Sydney

Fee Range: E


Acclaimed by respected critics and peers as �True greatness� (Sydney Morning Herald ), Simon Tedeschi performed his first Mozart piano concerto in the Sydney Opera House at age nine. A student of Neta Maughan, Noretta Conci and Peter Serkin, he has since been awarded numerous prizes, such as the Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year Award, Queen�s Trust Overseas Study Award, and first prize in the Keyboard division of London's Royal Overseas League Music Competition (2002). He is also recipient of the prestigious Legacy Award from the Creativity Foundation (USA), and a Centenary of Federation Medal from the Prime Minister of Australia.

Renowned especially for championing non-standard repertoire for piano, Tedeschi has performed solo recitals throughout Europe, the USA and Asia, and as soloist with the Colorado, Fort Worth and Illinois Symphony Orchestras (USA), the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (NZ) and the Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland, Adelaide and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, under the baton of conductors such as Richard Bonynge, Alan Gilbert, Michael Hal�sz, Jun M�rkl, Sir William Southgate, and Patrick Thomas.

Tedeschi has performed for dignitaries and world leaders such George W. Bush, Vladimir Putin, Nelson Mandela, Hu Jintao, Shinzo Abe, the Dalai Lama, and their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark. Based in the USA for several years courtesy of the American Australian Association and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, in 2009 Tedeschi performed in Carnegie Hall, won the �New York Young Jewish Pianist Award� and was featured in the Emerging Artist series held in the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

As one of the most sought-after pianists in Australia, since returning to Sydney in 2010, Tedeschi has performed as soloist for the Sydney and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, Queensland Music Festival, Musica Viva, and several concert series and major venues around the country. Recent engagements include successful tours to the United Arab Emirates and China with � Meeting Mozart� , Brisbane Festival, as soloist with Sydney Symphony Orchestra (Mozart) and Sydney Youth Orchestra (Brahms), and recitals for Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Recital Centre, The Capitol (Bendigo) and Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre (western Sydney).

2017 engagements include as soloist with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in their Season Opening concert (Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue), three performances with Sydney Symphony Orchestra (Rachmaninoff piano concerto no.4), and Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (Gershwin Concerto in F); a new recording for ABC Classics and national tour of Richard Strauss� Enoch Arden with esteemed theatre icon John Bell AO OBE, including Sydney Opera House� Utzon Music Series , His Majesty�s Theatre in Perth , Adelaide Festival Centre , Queensland Performing Arts Centre and at Four Winds (Bermagui, NSW). He also performs at South Australia� s SALT festival, at Jazz in the Arboretum, several recitals with Sydney Symphony Principal Viola Roger Benedict and concerto engagements with the North Sydney and Penrith Symphony Orchestras, NSW Youth Orchestra and Symphony Central Coast.
With a rare affinity for performing for young audiences, alongside his full concert schedule, Tedeschi has continued his work in schools and performed in two seasons of the solo show, �Simon Tedeschi: Pianist & Prankster� for Monkey Baa Theatre, at Adelaide Festival Centre, Melbourne Recital Centre, and Sydney� s Lend Lease Theatre Darling Harbour, Riverside Theatres and Casula Powerhouse (NSW), with a new family orchestral show in development for 2018.

In 2015 Tedeschi performed a critically acclaimed national tour to launch the new recording of Mussorgsky�s Pictures at an Exhibition (ABC Classics), including Sydney�s City Recital Hall Angel Place, Melbourne Recital Centre, and Adelaide�s Elder Hall, and described as �pure brilliance... a powerhouse performance with an intense corporeality� (Sydney Morning Herald, 2015) and Editor�s Choice in Limelight Magazine (5 stars).

Tedeschi�s wide-ranging discography also includes acclaimed recordings of concerti by Grieg, Tchaikovsky and Mozart, and solo albums, Gershwin and Me and Gershwin: Take Two (both reaching no.1 on the ARIA classical charts), and Tender Earth (ABC Classics), and featuring as �Editor�s Choice� in Limelight magazine and �CD of the Week� on both ABC Classic FM and Fine Music 102.5 FM.

Alongside his classical performances, Tedeschi is one of the few classical pianists able to cross over into jazz improvisation. The versatility and scope of Tedeschi�s appeal is exemplified by his collaboration with acclaimed musicians across different genres and styles: he was the last pianist for renowned US jazz musician Larry Adler, who remarked, �I just wish Gershwin were here... [Simon is] the finest exponent of his music I have ever seen� . Tedeschi regularly appears with legendary trumpet player James Morrison, and jazz pianist Kevin Hunt.
His talent and profile have also enabled Tedeschi to enjoy reach across artforms, most notably as the subject of Cherry Hood's striking portrait Simon Tedeschi Unplugged , which won the prestigious Archibald Prize in 2002. He was also invited to play the hands of acclaimed pianist David Helfgott for the Oscar-winning film Shine , directed by Scott Hicks, and is a guest columnist for publications such as The Australian , Sydney Morning Herald , Limelight Magazine, SBS Feast Magazine and ABC�s The Drum.

Support of charitable endeavours is a key commitment for Tedeschi, which has led him to perform for fundraising events for the Dalai Lama in London, the Karuna Foundation in support of Cambodian Orphans, and the Wayside Chapel in Sydney. He is Artistic Patron of Fine Music 102.5FM, a Roving Ambassador for the Australian Children's Music Foundation, and Ambassador for Sydney Eisteddfod, Ryde Eisteddfod, and the Blue Mountains Concert Society. He is also Brand Ambassador for Casio�s new Celviano Grand Hybrid piano.