Lance Coburn

At the Bonn International Beethoven Festival, critics described Lance Coburn’s five-sonata recital as “refreshing… uncompromising… unacademic…”.

In the Accademia Filarmonica concert series in Verona, Italy, critics wrote: “Coburn’s piano playing is characterised by an undoubted technical mastery which allowed us to experience precious moments of tonal exploration”.

“…one sat awe-inspired in amazement, wondering how it could possibly be played any better…” was how the Kölnische Rundschau described his performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

Since winning first prize at the Tomassoni International Piano Competition in Cologne in 2001, Lance has performed across five continents. He has appeared as a soloist with the WDR Cologne Orchestra, the Central Florida Orchestra, the Israel and Sydney Symphony Orchestras, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, the Hibernian Orchestra in Dublin and most major Australian orchestras.

His awards include the Hephzibah Menuhin Scholarship, first prize at the inaugural Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition and the Australian Young Performers’ Award in the keyboard category. The latter culminated in a performance of Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House, broadcast live across Australia on ABC Television.

His recordings include Michele Esposito’s violin and cello sonatas on Champs Hill Records, Potpourri, featuring solo piano works by Tchaikovsky, on Naxos, the complete works for cello and piano by Beethoven on the Guild label, and solo piano works by Carl Vine on Modal Citizen Records.

Lance began his studies at the age of seven in his native New Zealand. He went on to study in Australia, graduating from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music with its highest honours and receiving both the Conservatorium and Griffith University Medals. After completing his master’s degree there, he pursued further postgraduate studies at the Tchaikovsky Conservatoire in Moscow and the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.

With more than 200 works in his chamber music repertoire, Lance has built a reputation as a dynamic chamber musician, performing with leading ensembles including the ConTempo Quartet and the Piatti Quartet. He has appeared as both a soloist and a chamber musician at festivals including the Beethoven International Festival in Bonn, the Dublin International Piano Festival and the Great Music in Irish Houses Festival. He has also toured with the acclaimed dance companies Daghdha and CoisCéim in Ireland and Australia.

A passionate educator, Lance has been a full-time faculty member at the Royal Irish Academy of Music since 2005. He regularly adjudicates at national and international music festivals and is in high demand for piano masterclasses.