Kathryn Stott (Piano)
Kathryn Stott is one of Britain’s most versatile musicians. Born in Lancashire, she studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Royal College of Music, and was a prize-winner at the Leeds International Piano Competition in 1978. In addition to her busy career as a performer, Kathryn is visiting professor at both the Royal Academy of Music, London and Chethams School of Music, Manchester. As a concerto soloist she enjoys associations with many major orchestras throughout the world while she has long-standing musical relationships with many distinguished instrumentalists.
A special interest in contemporary music has led to several world premieres. She is a remarkable exponent of tango and other Latin dance music, reflected in her collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma and leading South American musicians on the Grammy Award-winning Sony CD Soul of the Tango and its successor Obrigado Brazil, the latter accompanied by a highly successful tour of Japan, the USA and Europe. Other recordings include the complete solo piano music of Fauré, concertos by Kabalevsky and Lennox Berkeley and solo pieces by Koechlin, music by John Foulds and Erwin Schulhoff, La Habanera featuring music by Ernesto Lecuona, and a recital of French cello sonatas Paris – La Belle Epoque with Yo-Yo Ma. Recent releases include solo music by Smetana and works for cello and piano with Christian Poltéra and an album of dance music for solo piano. In 2009 Kathryn signed an exclusive contract with the Chandos label for her recordings of solo piano work.
Kathryn Stott has been the artistic vision behind several major festivals and concert series including ‘Fauré and the French Connection’ (for she was appointed Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres by the French Government) and ‘Piano 2000’ and ‘Piano 2003’ (The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester). She was appointed Artistic Director of the Manchester Chamber Concert Series in 2008 and Kathryn is Guest Artistic Director of the chamber festival, Incontri in Terra di Siena from 2010. Current and future plans include tours of both North and South America, and performances in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan as well as throughout Europe. She has a daughter, Lucy, and lives in Manchester. She has walked the Great Wall of China, raising funds for Cancer Research, and recently accepted a position on the boards of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy fundraising committee, and the Hallé Concerts Society.
