Country

:

Australia

Birth

:

November 5, 1954 in Mussoorie, India

Death

:

August 21, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia

Genre

:

Concerto

 

 

Keyboard

 

Geoffrey Tozer was an Australian classical pianist who was born on November 5, 1954, in Melbourne, Australia. He was the youngest of three children and showed an early interest in music. His father, who was a jazz pianist, recognized his son's talent and encouraged him to pursue a career in music. Tozer began his piano studies at the age of five with his mother, who was a piano teacher. He later studied with Max Cooke and Ronald Farren-Price at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. At the age of 13, he won the ABC Instrumental and Vocal Competition, which was a significant achievement for a young musician. In 1971, Tozer won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied with Kendall Taylor and Peter Wallfisch. He also studied with Maria João Pires in Portugal and with Vladimir Ashkenazy in Switzerland. Tozer made his professional debut in 1973 with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, playing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3. He quickly established himself as one of Australia's leading pianists, performing with all of the major orchestras in the country. In 1980, Tozer made his international debut at the Edinburgh Festival, where he performed with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. He went on to perform with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, and the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. Tozer was known for his interpretations of the music of Franz Liszt, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Johannes Brahms. He was also a champion of the music of Australian composers, including Peter Sculthorpe and Carl Vine. Tozer was a prolific recording artist, with over 60 recordings to his name. He recorded for many of the major record labels, including Chandos, EMI, and ABC Classics. His recordings of the complete piano music of Sergei Rachmaninoff and Franz Liszt are considered to be among the best ever recorded. Tozer was also a respected teacher, and he held teaching positions at the Victorian College of the Arts, the Australian National Academy of Music, and the University of Melbourne. He was known for his dedication to his students and for his ability to inspire them to achieve their full potential. Despite his many achievements, Tozer struggled with personal demons throughout his life. He suffered from depression and alcoholism, which affected his career and his personal relationships. He also had a difficult relationship with the Australian music establishment, which he felt did not appreciate his talents. Tozer died on August 21, 2009, at the age of 54. His death was a shock to the Australian music community, and many of his colleagues and students mourned his passing. In the years since his death, there has been a renewed appreciation for his talents and his contributions to Australian music. Tozer's legacy lives on through his recordings, which continue to be admired by music lovers around the world. He is remembered as a brilliant pianist, a dedicated teacher, and a complex and troubled individual who left an indelible mark on the Australian music scene.

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