András Schiff

Sir András Schiff was born in Budapest in 1953 and began playing the piano at the age of five. Aged 14 he began formal studies at Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt Academy with teachers who included György Kurtág and later studied under George Malcolm in London, the city he has made his home. Success in major piano competitions (Tchaikovsky (1974) and Leeds (1975)) brought him to international attention and launched his career as a recording and concert artist.
 
After making a number of recordings for Hungarian label Hungaroton, Schiff had a long relationship with Decca for whom he recorded, inter al, landmark cycles of Mozart’s piano concertos and sonatas and many works by Bach. Schiff came to ECM in the late 1990s to record a recital of two-piano music by Mozart, Reger and Busoni with Peter Serkin. Since then he has become a New Series exclusive artist and brought to the label distinguished [...]
Sir András Schiff was born in Budapest in 1953 and began playing the piano at the age of five. Aged 14 he began formal studies at Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt Academy with teachers who included György Kurtág and later studied under George Malcolm in London, the city he has made his home. Success in major piano competitions (Tchaikovsky (1974) and Leeds (1975)) brought him to international attention and launched his career as a recording and concert artist.
 
After making a number of recordings for Hungarian label Hungaroton, Schiff had a long relationship with Decca for whom he recorded, inter al, landmark cycles of Mozart’s piano concertos and sonatas and many works by Bach. Schiff came to ECM in the late 1990s to record a recital of two-piano music by Mozart, Reger and Busoni with Peter Serkin. Since then he has become a New Series exclusive artist and brought to the label distinguished partnerships with Juliane Banse (Songs of Debussy and Mozart), Yuuko Shiokawa (Schubert fantasies) and fellow Hungarian Miklós Perényi (Beethoven’s cello sonatas). In addition he has recorded solo albums devoted to Bach (Goldberg Variations, Das Wohltempierte Clavier, partitas), Beethoven (the complete piano sonatas and two versions of the Diabelli Variations), Schubert, Schumann and Janáček.
 
The complete Beethoven sonata cycle – one of Schiff's most ambitious and critically acclaimed projects to date – was performed in 20 major musical centres worldwide and recorded for ECM in concert at the Zürich Tonhalle. Of this cycle, he has said: "For me, these sonatas are the most stupendous journey. They give a complete picture of how Beethoven developed though his creative life."
 
Schiff has long been concerned with period performance practice but at first the musical results of the research into authentic sound left him unconvinced. Since then his initial qualms have given way to a gusto for period instruments. A change of heart was prompted above all by his experience with Mozart's hammerklavier, which he was allowed to play in the house where the composer was born in Salzburg – 'at once a privilege and an unforgettable experience'.
 
András Schiff is also actively involved in orchestral music as both conductor and soloist. In 1999 he created his own chamber orchestra, the Cappella Andrea Barca, consisting of international soloists, chamber musicians and friends. He also works regularly with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
 
Schiff has been the recipient of a host of international awards and prizes, including Grammy and Gramophone awards, the Bartók Prize, the Royal Academy of Music Bach Prize and the Robert Schumann Prize. He is also highly regarded as a pedagogue and lecturer on music.
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Date All Primary Artist Appears on
YEAR DATE Artist VENUE LOCATION
2026 July 28 András Schiff Verbier Festival Verbier, Switzerland Event
2026 July 31 András Schiff Kirche Saanen Saanen, Switzerland Event
2026 August 06 András Schiff Kirche St. Jakob Klosters, Switzerland Event
2026 August 09 András Schiff Cathedral Porvoo, Finland Event
2026 August 13 András Schiff Salzburger Festspiele Stiftung Mozarteum Salzburg, Austria Event
2026 August 23 András Schiff Kloster Chorin, Germany Event
2026 August 25 András Schiff National Philharmonic Hall Warsaw, Poland Event
2026 August 27 András Schiff Tellenhaus Ernen, Switzerland Event
2026 August 28 András Schiff Kirche St. Georg Ernen, Switzerland Event
2026 August 29 András Schiff Kirche St. Georg Ernen, Switzerland Event
2026 August 30 András Schiff Kirche St. Georg Ernen, Switzerland Event
2026 October 01 András Schiff Casals Forum Kronberg, Germany Event
2026 November 12 András Schiff Philharmonie Luxembourg, Luxembourg Event
2026 December 12 András Schiff National Concert Hall Dublin, Ireland Event
2026 December 21 András Schiff Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin, Germany Event
2026 December 23 András Schiff Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin, Germany Event
2026 December 27 András Schiff Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin, Germany Event
2026 December 29 András Schiff Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin, Germany Event
2026 December 31 András Schiff Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin, Germany Event
2027 March 17 András Schiff Flagey Brussels, Belgium Event