Birth

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August 15, 1986

 

Jayson Gillham is a renowned classical pianist who has captivated audiences around the world with his virtuosic performances and sensitive interpretations of some of the most beloved works in the classical repertoire. Born in 1986 in Dalby, Queensland, Australia, Gillham began playing the piano at the age of four and quickly showed a natural talent for the instrument. Gillham's early musical education was shaped by his parents, who were both music teachers. He began taking lessons with his mother and later studied with other teachers in Australia and the United States. In 2004, he was awarded a scholarship to study at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree with First Class Honours. After completing his studies in Australia, Gillham moved to London to pursue further training at the Royal Academy of Music. There, he studied with renowned pianists such as Christopher Elton and Joanna MacGregor and earned a Master of Music degree with Distinction. He also won several prestigious awards, including the Royal Academy of Music's highest honor, the Queen's Commendation for Excellence. Gillham's career as a professional pianist began to take off in the early 2010s, when he won several major international competitions. In 2010, he won the Montreal International Music Competition, which helped to launch his career in Canada and the United States. The following year, he won the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe Piano Competition, which brought him to the attention of audiences and critics across Europe. Since then, Gillham has performed with some of the world's leading orchestras and conductors, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He has also appeared at major music festivals such as the BBC Proms, the Edinburgh International Festival, and the Verbier Festival. One of Gillham's most notable performances came in 2015, when he played Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Vladimir Ashkenazy. The performance was widely praised for its sensitivity and depth of feeling, and it helped to cement Gillham's reputation as one of the most exciting young pianists of his generation. In addition to his work as a performer, Gillham is also a passionate advocate for music education and outreach. He has worked with organizations such as the Australian Children's Music Foundation and the Royal Academy of Music's Open Academy program to bring music to underserved communities and inspire the next generation of musicians. Gillham's recordings have also received critical acclaim. His debut album, featuring works by Bach, Schubert, and Chopin, was released in 2016 and was praised by Gramophone magazine for its "clarity, poise, and elegance." His second album, featuring works by Beethoven and Schumann, was released in 2018 and was similarly well-received. Despite his many accomplishments, Gillham remains humble and dedicated to his craft. He continues to practice for several hours a day and is always seeking new ways to deepen his understanding of the music he plays. As he told Limelight magazine in a 2018 interview, "I'm always trying to find new things in the music, new ways of expressing it, new ways of understanding it.

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