Clifford is probably unusual as a pianist, in that his career spans
the whole range of the piano repertoire: he performs as a soloist in
recitals and concertos, as a chamber musician with long-standing colleagues
William Bennett, Trevor Wye, Levon Chilingirian and Thea King, and also as an
accompanist.
Clifford is known for his outstanding musicianship and sensitivity, his strong feeling for poetry and colour, and for the passion that he imparts in his performing and teaching.
He was born in Essex, England, and studied at the Royal College of Music with Cyril Smith and Lamar Crowson. Whilst there, he was awarded the Chopin Sonata Prize, the Geoffrey Tankard Lieder Prize for Accompaniment, and the Tagore Gold Medal as the outstanding musician of his final year. A Martin Music Fund Scholarship, awarded by the New Philharmonia Orchestra, enabled him to further his studies.
With the violinist Levon Chilingirian, he was first prize-winner in the BBC Beethoven and the Munich International Duo Competitions, which led to numerous collaborations with prestigious artists, to solo and chamber music recitals and to recordings for BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM.
Clifford was the pianist for the Jacqueline du Pré masterclasses on BBC 2 television and has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician at the Proms.A member of the Nash Ensemble for many years, he enjoyed a wide-ranging repertoire, performing with such artists as Cleo Laine, Eartha Kitt, Marion Montgomery, Sarah Walker, Sir John Tavener and Sir Simon Rattle.He has also worked with conductors Sir Charles Mackerras, George Hurst, Daniel Barenboim and Sir Neville Marriner.
Clifford enjoys composing (more information later – keep visiting the website!) and has given some notable world premières of other contemporary composers, including:
As a recording artist, Clifford has encompassed a whole range of styles from Mozart to the present day. Apart from his recordings for Hyperion, specialising in English music, he has covered much of the flute and piano repertoire with William Bennett and Trevor Wye, and has recorded other combinations for Chandos, CRD and Deutsche Grammophon - see discography.
Clifford currently teaches solo piano and piano chamber music
at the Royal Academy of Music, London. He has adjudicated at
many music festivals, at the major colleges of music in Britain, and has
been a panel member for the BBC Young Musician of the Year and the Royal Overseas League.
Travelling for much of the year, he has given recitals and masterclasses
in Europe, Scandinavia, the Middle and Far East, the USA and Canada. In 2005, engagements will take him to France, America, Japan, Hong Kong and South Africa. He will again coach at the Strathgarry Course for Young Musicians run by the Tunnell Trust. Clifford's own international course at Frensham Heights in Surrey, England, sees its fourth year this coming August.
February 2005