Nicholas Young

Since winning his first piano medal at age 6, Nicholas Young has gone on to gain national and international recognition as one of Australia’s leading visionary pianists, in his championing of art music and interpretation of established repertoire.

In 2016, Young was winner of 2 of Australia’s most prestigious piano awards; The Perpetual Trust’s Michael Kieran Harvey Scholarship and the Allison/Henderson Sydney Eisteddfod Piano Scholarship. That same year he also joined ANAM for a year of solo, chamber and orchestral performances and mentorship with Timothy Young.

In 2015, Young released his debut album ‘Capricornia’ and launched it in recitals in Australia and New Zealand; the Canberra International Music Festival director Roland Peelman invited Young to perform his interpretation of Beethoven’s final Sonata Op. 111; Young graduated from Masters studies with Distinction and the highest grades possible; Young won First Prize and Best Beethoven Performance of the ‘Grand Prize Virtuoso’ International Music Competition (London); was Finalist at the 7th International Rosario Marciano Piano Competition and received Honourable Mention; won 3rd Prize at the 15th Rome International Piano Competition and received Honourable Mention at the 1st International Cochran Piano Competition.

In 2014, Young was invited to perform as the headline act of the Vienna International Orchestra in their Orchestra Gala Concert as part of the Vienna ConcertoFest concert series. Conducted by Michele Santorsola Young performed the Allegro maestoso from Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C, K503; In support of this period of study, he was awarded the Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship (Instrumental Music Category).

In 2013, Young graduated with First Class Honours and received a University Medal; Young undertook Masters studies at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg with Claudius Tanski, where he had master classes with Dmitri Bashkirov, Christian Zacharias, Robert Levin, Dominique Merlet, Jacques Rouvier, Lars Vogt, Lang Lang and many others. Young went on to graduate with Distinction and the highest possible grades in all performance and academic components.

In 2012, Young won the Runner-Up Prize of the Australian Youth Classical Music Competition, 2nd Prize of the Australian National Piano Award and in 2011 Young was Winner of the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Award (Keyboard Category). Since 2009 Young has been officially recognised as a Young Steinway Artist.

Nicholas has given solo and chamber performances in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Italy, Austria and the UK in such iconic venues as the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Recital Centre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, London Wigmore Hall and Steinway Hall, Munich Gasteig and Vienna Ehrbar Hall. He has appeared as soloist with the West Australian, Queensland, Adelaide and Willoughby Symphony Orchestras, working with international conductors including Nicholas Braithwaite, Vladimir Verbitsky and Edvard Tchivzhel, and his performances have been broadcast by Fine Music FM and ABC Classic FM.