Jayson Gillham
Background information
Birth nameJayson Lloyd Gillham
Born1986 (age 37–38)
Dalby, Queensland, Australia
Occupation(s)Classical pianist
Instrument(s)Piano
Websitejaysongillham.com
Alma mater

Jayson Lloyd Gillham (born 1986) is a British-Australian classical pianist, based in London. In 2014, Gillham was the winner of the 2014 Montreal International Musical Competition, which brought him to international attention. His outstanding performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 was described in the Huffington Post as being played 'with such streamlined patrician elegance that he took home First Prize and a string of engagements...'[1] The renowned British conductor Sir Mark Elder said Gillham 'plays Beethoven with a sort of ‘glow’'.[2] In May 2015, Gillham signed a three-album deal with ABC Classics.[3][4]

Early life

Jayson Gillham was born in Dalby, Queensland. He started piano lessons at the age of four. He had his first public performance at the Dalby Eisteddfod where he played a minuet by J. S. Bach. In 1993, he commenced formal piano lessons from Eugene Gienger in Toowoomba. At the age of seven, he won the Dalby Eisteddfod's Open age section. At age 14, he travelled 500 kilometres (310 mi) each week to Brisbane for piano lessons with Leah Horwitz. At age 17 he was a semi-finalist in the Sydney International Piano Competition.

In 2007, he graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. Subsequently, he relocated to London in 2007 to study at the Royal Academy of Music, studying with Christopher Elton and winning the Sterndale Bennett Prize. Gillham graduated with a Master's Degree in music. Gillham was supported in his studies by the Tait Memorial Trust,[5] and the Australian Music Foundation.[6]

Career

In 2012 Gillham was Commonwealth Musician of the Year and Gold Medalist of the Royal Over-Seas League 60th Annual Music Competition. Other competition successes include the Leeds International Piano Competition, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, and the International Chopin Piano Competition.

Concerto engagements with international orchestras include the London Philharmonic Orchestra,[4] Halle Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, and the Wuhan Philharmonic.

In recital, Gillham performs at some of the world's most prestigious venues including the Wigmore Hall, Sydney Opera House, Auditorium du Louvre, Montreal Pollack Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, City Recital Hall, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Royal Festival Hall.

His festival highlights include the Verbier Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, Brighton Festival, Linari Classic Festival (Tuscany), Two Moors Festival, Norfolk and Norwich Festival, Deia International Music Festival (Majorca), and Bangalow and Tyalgum Music Festivals (in New South Wales). Gillham has also collaborated with the Carducci, Jerusalem, Brentano, Ruysdael and Flinders string quartets.

Jayson Gillham performing with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at Sydney Opera House

In May 2015, Jayson signed a three-album exclusive recording contract with ABC Classics.[7] His debut recital album featuring works of Bach, Schubert, and Chopin was released in October 2016 [8] and immediately reached the number of one in both the Core Classical and Classical Crossover ARIA charts.[9] This first release was soon followed by his highly acclaimed live recording of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Vladimir Ashkenazy.[10] Gillham performed the Beethoven Concerto No. 3 with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Jeffrey Tate.[11] His most recent CD, recorded in 2017 of works by Medtner and Rachmaninoff with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra under Benjamin Northey, received unanimous praise and was Recording of the Month in Limelight magazine.[12] Medtner's Piano Concerto No. 1, as included in this release, will also feature in a documentary film about the life of the renowned Australian pianist Geoffrey Tozer.[13]

In May 2018, Jayson made his debut with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Victor Aviat.[14] He also joined the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on a UK tour with the British conductor Alexander Shelley.[15] At the 2020 ARIA Music Awards, Gillham with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Nicholas Carter were nominated for Best Classical Album for Beethoven Piano Concertos.[16]

Discography

Albums

List of albums with selected details
Title Details
Etudes de Concert
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: Digital Audio Disc Corp.
  • Formats: CD
Beethoven | Chopin | Debussy
(with Cyprien Katsaris)
  • Released: 2010[17]
  • Label: ABC
  • Formats: CD
Bach | Schubert | Chopin
  • Released: 7 October 2016[18]
  • Label: ABC
  • Formats: CD
Medtner: Piano Concerto No.1; Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2
(with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Benjamin Northey)
  • Released: 25 August 2017[19]
  • Label: ABC Classics (4815564)
  • Formats: CD, DD
Romantic Bach: From Intimate to Epic
  • Released: 2 November 2018[20]
  • Label: ABC Classics (4817686)
  • Formats: CD, DD
Beethoven: Piano Concertos (Live)
(with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Nicholas Carter)
  • Released: 20 February 2020[21]
  • Label: ABC Classics
  • Formats: CD, DD

Awards

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (known colloquially as the AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2021 Beethoven: The Piano Concertos
(with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Nicholas Carter)		 Best Independent Classical Album or EP Nominated [22][23]

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2017 Medtner: Piano Concerto No 1 / Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No 2 (with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra & Benjamin Northey) Best Classical Album Nominated [24]
2021 Beethoven Piano Concertos (with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra & Nicholas Carter) Nominated

Personal life

Gillham lives in London with his partner, Sid Mohandas.[25] [26] Gillham actively supports the LGBTI community and expressed his strong support in favour for the 'Yes' campaign in Australia's Marriage Equality Postal Survey.[26][27] In an interview with the Dalby Herald, Gillham said, 'It's a significant survey because it shows that Australians are on the whole socially liberal, hopeful and forward-looking'.[26]

References

  1. ↑ Vittes, Laurence (6 June 2014). "Jayson Gillham Takes Gold in Montréal's Grand Prix Piano Competition". The Huffington Post.
  2. ↑ "Win two tickets to see Jayson Gillham perform Beethoven with a luxurious overnight stay at Ockenden Manor". Classic fM.
  3. ↑ Boon, Maxim (18 May 2015). "ABC Classics sign Jayson Gillham". Limelight Magazine. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Brief Encounter". LPO.org.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "Awards 2009 – Tait Memorial Trust". 21 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Alumni". Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  7. ↑ McDowall, Carolyn (21 May 2015). "JAYSON GILLHAM PIANIST – ABC CLASSICS DEAL, A TRIO OF ALBUMS". The Culture Concept.
  8. ↑ "Jayson Gillham - Bach | Schubert | Chopin". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  9. ↑ "Jayson Gillham - Piano". Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
  10. ↑ "Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58". Presto Classical.
  11. ↑ "A Hero's Life". The Guardian. 29 October 2016.
  12. ↑ McPherson, Angus (3 September 2017). "JAYSON GILLHAM ON MAKING MAGIC WITH MEDTNER". Limelight Magazine.
  13. ↑ "In Conversation: Jayson Gilham". Rehearsal Magazine.
  14. ↑ Fowler, Andrew (3 May 2018). "Hall of Fame, Dazzling Concerto Performed by Jayson Gillham". The Edge.
  15. ↑ "Myths and Fairytales IV". RPO. 9 May 2018.
  16. ↑ "And the 2020 ARIA Awards Go To…". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  17. ↑ "Romantic Virtuoso Pianists - Jayson Gillham and Cyprien Katsaris". Musical Pointers.
  18. ↑ "Jayson Gillham: Bach, Schubert & Chopin". ABC Classics. 2 December 2016.
  19. ↑ "Jayson Gillham - Medtner Piano Concerto No.1 | Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2". ABC Classics. 25 August 2017.
  20. ↑ "Romantic Bach: From Intimate to Epic (DD)". Apple Music. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  21. ↑ "Beethoven: Piano Concertos (Live)(DD)". Apple Music. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  22. ↑ "Details confirmed for 2021 AIR Awards as nominees announced". The Music. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  23. ↑ "2021 AIR Awards Winners". Scenstr.com.au. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  24. ↑ ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards – Winners by Award". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  25. ↑ Ward, Brendan (September 2016). "Piano man Jayson Gillham on luck, bullying and Beethoven". The Australian. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  26. 1 2 3 Flanagan, Sam (17 November 2017). "The survey that split a nation". Dalby Herald.
  27. ↑ Flanagan, Sam (17 November 2017). "The survey that split a nation". The Queensland Times.
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