Jason Kouchak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jason Kouchak
Background information
Genres	Classical, chanson, new age
Occupation(s)	pianist, singer, songwriter, composer
Instruments	piano, vocals, violin
Years active	1990–present

Jason Kouchak is a talented French pianist, composer, and singer-songwriter. He is known for his classical music performances and his passion for chess.

Early Life and Education

Jason Kouchak was born in Lyon, France. He went to Westminster School and studied classical piano. He trained at the Royal College of Music and the University of Edinburgh. Jason is also related to Alexander Kolchak, a famous Russian naval commander.

Music Career and Performances

Jason Kouchak has recorded several music albums. Two of these were made at the famous Abbey Road Studios. He has appeared on TV shows in Britain (BBC) and Japan (NHK). On these shows, he performed his own musical pieces.

He has traveled all over the world as a classical pianist. His tours have included places like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan. Jason has played at many famous venues. These include the Royal Festival Hall in London and the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. He also gave recitals at the Edinburgh International Festival.

In 2010, he performed at a special concert for Julian Lloyd Webber's 60th birthday. He also played at a concert celebrating Chopin's 200th birthday. For this event, he performed with singer and actress Elaine Paige. Jason has also sung in cabaret shows at the Café de Paris and the Café Royal.

In 2012, Jason performed at the Galle Literary Festival. He also gave a piano recital at the opening of the London Chess Classic. That same year, he became the Director of Music for the 20th French Film Festival UK. He performed at the British Embassy in Paris for Chopin's anniversary.

Special Performances and Events

In 1990, Jason Kouchak was a special guest artist. He performed at Princess Margaret's 60th birthday party at the Ritz Hotel. He also played at the film premiere of Hamlet that same year.

In 1998, Kouchak performed his version of Sakura for Emperor Akihito. This was at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. He also played this piece at a charity event for the Great Hanshin earthquake in 1995. The song was recorded with Julian Lloyd Webber on his album Cello Moods. Olympic ice skater Yuka Sato used this music in her performance in 1999. In 2017, Sakura was performed again at a 20-year celebration concert in Brussels.

Jason Kouchak performed the Russian song Dark Is the Night with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 2011 and 2013. In 2017, a special concert was held to mark 100 years since the Russian Revolution.

In March 2015, Kouchak performed Scheherazade at the opening of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. He also wrote the festival's official theme song for 2016. In 2017, he helped organize and performed at a concert at the Embassy of Finland in London. This concert celebrated Finland's 100th anniversary.

Music and Chess

Jason Kouchak has a strong connection to chess. In 2018, he released a music piece called Victory Moves. This was a tribute to chess champions Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana. Also in 2018, Kouchak created a ballet project about chess. It featured two orchestral ballet pieces. These were performed at the outdoor chess set in Holland Park. This celebrated 100 years of women's rights in the UK.

In June 2019, Kouchak played at the Norway Chess closing ceremony. He performed Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor. He also premiered his own new song, Queen of the Knight. This performance combined classical chess ideas with modern tournament styles. In July 2019, Kouchak performed at the opening of the Heart of Finland international chess tournament.

In spring 2020, Kouchak created a music piece about astronomy. This marked the 200th anniversary of the Royal Astronomical Society. It also celebrated 60 years since Yuri Gagarin's historic space flight. In spring 2021, he celebrated ten years of Holland Park Chess. In July 2021, he performed at Chessfest in Trafalgar Square. Kouchak produced the chess festival's theme song, Into the Light. This song was performed with music and dance. It was also played at the Curiouser and Curiouser exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

In autumn 2021, Kouchak played Rachmaninoff at the Royal Automobile Club. This celebrated the return of the Oxford vs Cambridge Varsity chess match. In 2022, Kouchak wrote a musical called A Queen Before Her Time. It was about Vera Menchik, a famous female chess player. This musical was celebrated during International Women's Day in London.

In July 2022, Kouchak celebrated the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II with Pattie Boyd. They created a special chess problem on the giant chess board in Holland Park. This honored the Queen's many years of service.

In September 2024, Jason Kouchak performed his chess-themed song "Royal Game". This was at the grand opening of the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. It marked the Olympiad's 100th anniversary.

Community Contributions

Jason Kouchak has helped the community in several ways. He helped launch two giant chess sets for children. One was in Holland Park, London, with Stuart Conquest in 2010. The other was in The Meadows (park) in Edinburgh in 2013. He also helped with a special Alice in Wonderland chess set. In 2013, Kouchak led a campaign to save the famous piano department at Harrods.

He also composed the official theme song for a chess charity called CSC. The song is titled Moving Forward.

In 2011, Kouchak started the Tsubasa Children's Choir. This choir opened the Matsuri Festival. In 2012, during the Queen's Jubilee year, they performed "Jupiter" from Holst's Planets suite in Trafalgar Square. In 2016, his chess and ballet musical work was performed at the British Museum and in New York. These performances celebrated the important role of women as queens in chess. Kouchak also created and composed the stage show The Queen's Journey in 2017. This was for Judit Polgar's Global Chess Festival. In 2018, he received an award as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Artistic Values of Chess. In 2019, at the London Chess Conference, Kouchak shared his ideas on how to help women in chess through education.

Albums

• Space Between Notes (2017)
• Comme d'Habitude (2011)
• Midnight Classics (2008)
• Forever (2001)
• Watercolours (1999)
• Première Impression (1997)
• Cello Moods (Sakura only)

See also

In Spanish: Jason Kouchak para niños