Andrew Ball – Piano

Andrew Ball was first introduced to the Havant Orchestras when he was a student at Barton Peveril Grammar School in Eastleigh by the then Head of Music, Marcus Black.  Peter Craddock had been sent to BPGS on teaching practice from Reading University during his year of study for his Diploma in Education in 1957 and had kept in touch with Marcus who was aware of Andrew’s talent and suggested him as a soloist for the orchestras.  Andrew made his first appearance with HCO playing Mozart’s K 415 concerto in March 1966.  Having achieved a scholarship, Andrew went on to study with Kendall Taylor at the Royal College of Music and took a 1st in music at Queen’s College, Oxford.

Regarded as one of the foremost British pianists of his generation, Andrew’s busy career has taken him all over the world.  He has a reputation for innovative and imaginative programmes, and chamber music and contemporary music have always played a large part in his repertoire.  He has given countless premieres (including the first British performance of Sofia Gubaidulina’s Piano Sonata at the Bath Festival), made his Proms debut playing Messiaen and studied Tippett’s sonatas with the composer.  Ives and Busoni are also special interests.  He has played with the Nash Ensemble, London Sinfonietta, Villiers Piano Quartet and Gemini and has had a successful duo with Madeleine Mitchell since 1992.  Many acclaimed CDs range from the complete Tippett song-cycles and vocal and choral music of Lili Boulanger with Martyn Hill for Hyperion, to Billy Mayerl’s works for piano and orchestra.  He has appeared at the Aldeburgh Festival playing two-piano music with Rolf Hind and has played in Stravinsky’s ‘Les Noces’ for the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden and with the LSO and Gergiev at the Barbican.  Formerly a sought-after teacher at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Andrew was Head of Keyboard at the Royal College of Music from 1999 to 2005, where he remains a Professor and was made a Fellow in 2006.  He still gives master-classes in venues around the world.

After all these meretricious accolades and performances, Andrew has very generously agreed to return to play with HCO in a concerto he last played with them in 1981.  (We wonder how many of the assembled players played then?)