Andrew Matthews-Owen

Who is Andrew Matthews-Owen?

Andrew Matthews-Owen is a Welsh pianist and accompanist. He was born at Neath, Wales and now lives in London

Matthews-Owen studied at the University of Wales, Cardiff and the Royal Academy of Music supported by scholarships from the Rayne Foundation and Sir Edward Heath. He is the winner of awards including the Sir Henry Richardson Award for Accompanists, a Ryan Davies Trust Award, a John Ireland Trust Award and the Elisabeth Schumann Prize. He has also twice been the recipient of an S4C Wales Scholarship and undertaken private studies with Eugene Asti, Christine Croshaw and Roger Vignoles. Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.

He has performed at numerous major venues, partnering leading young singers, including the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, National Portrait Gallery, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Bath Pump Rooms, St David's Hall, Lousie T Blouin Foundation and the Brangwyn Hall with singers including Claire Booth, Helen Field, Katie van Kooten, Nicky Spence and Jeremy Huw Williams. Also on BBC Television and Radio.

An exponent of the music of distinguished composer Alun Hoddinott, he premiered the composer's latest song cycle 'Towy Landscape' for soprano, baritone and piano duet, written for him through an award from the Welsh Arts Council and PRS Foundation, in Swansea in September 2006 with soprano Claire Booth,Welsh baritone Jeremy Huw Williams and fellow pianist Michael Pollock. The work was given its London Premiere in the prestigious Cutting Edge series administered by the BMIC, in December 2007. He will record a CD of Hoddinott's song cycles in English with Claire Booth, Nicky Spence, Jeremy Huw Williams and Michael Pollock in 2010.