Biography

Max Pemberton first took up the piano at the age of 8, upon hearing a local performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto. Years later, Max would realise an early ambition by performing that same Concerto in Guildford Cathedral. He has since performed both in the UK and internationally, in places such as Austria and Poland where he appeared on a local TV station. He has performed in Duke’s Hall, Milton Court concert hall and has become a regular performer at Hindhead Music Centre in Haslemere. Recently, he gave a performance of the towering Rachmaninov 3rd piano concerto in Guildford and was a finalist in the 7th International Alkan Prize for Piano Virtuosity in Milan.

Max has enjoyed the opportunity to play for many distinguished pianists and pedagogues, including Pascal Nemirovsky, Norma Fischer, Peter Frankl, Joan Havill, Eugene Indjic, Noriko Ogawa, Murray McLachlan and Paul Roberts to name a few. He now studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with professors Ronan O’Hora and Katya Apekisheva, and was a finalist in the Guildhall Romantic prize 2 years in a row.

Aside from solo playing, Max has enjoyed many fruitful collaborations at the Guildhall, such as being part of an all-Bartok concert in December 2019 and a large-scale song project themed around an Ouroboros. He has recently developed a keen interest in working with composers and has been a part of large ensemble projects performing works by Matthew King and Lawrence Crane.

Max studies at the Guildhall with the help of an Ironmongers’ Company scholarship and the Musicians’ Company Carnwath Scholarship 2023.

Award: Carnwath Piano Scholarship 2023

Page updated: 30 January 2024

Photo credit: Francis Ware