Marc-André Hamelin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marc-André Hamelin
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Hamelin in 2010
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| Born | September 5, 1961 |
| Occupation | Pianist and composer |
Marc-André Hamelin, born on September 5, 1961, is a famous Canadian pianist and composer. He is known for his amazing skill at the piano. He has been nominated for 11 Grammy Awards. He also teaches music at the New England Conservatory of Music.
Contents
About Marc-André Hamelin
Early Life and Music Studies
Marc-André Hamelin was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He started learning to play the piano when he was five years old. His father was a pharmacist and also played the piano for fun. He introduced young Marc-André to music by composers like Charles-Valentin Alkan and Leopold Godowsky.
Hamelin studied music in Montreal at the École de musique Vincent-d'Indy. His teacher there was Yvonne Hubert. Later, he continued his studies at Temple University in Philadelphia. In 1989, he won the Virginia Parker Prize for his musical talent.
Performing Around the World
Marc-André Hamelin has performed piano concerts in many cities. He has played at famous music festivals all over the world. Some of these include festivals in Bad Kissingen, Ravinia, and La Roque d’Anthéron. He often performs in London at the Wigmore Hall. He also plays every year in Munich and has given many concerts in Tokyo.
Recording Music
Hamelin has recorded music by many different composers. He works with the Hyperion music label. His recording of Leopold Godowsky's Studies on Chopin's Études won a big award in 2000. This was the Gramophone Magazine Instrumental Award.
He is famous for playing music by composers who are not as well known. Many of these composers lived in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He also performs works by pianists who wrote their own music. These include Franz Liszt, Alexander Scriabin, and Nikolai Kapustin.
Composing His Own Music
Marc-André Hamelin is also a composer. He has written many pieces for the piano. One of his major works is a set of piano studies. He finished these studies in 2009. They are published by Edition Peters and he recorded them for Hyperion.
He also wrote a group of seven pieces called Con Intimissimo Sentimento. Another fun piece he wrote is a piano version of Tico-Tico no Fubá. Most of his music is for solo piano. However, he has also written music for other instruments. This includes pieces for three trumpets.
Awards and Recognition
In 1985, Hamelin won the Carnegie Hall International Competition. He played his first concert at Carnegie Hall in 1988. In 2004, he received an international record award in Cannes, France.
He has been honored in Canada and Quebec. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada. He is also a Chevalier of the National Order of Québec. He has won seven Juno Awards. His most recent Juno Award was in 2012 for his Liszt Piano Sonatas album.
What Critics Say
Music critics have praised Marc-André Hamelin's playing. In 2000, Alex Ross from The New Yorker magazine said: "Hamelin’s legend will grow—right now there is no one like him." This means he is a unique and amazing talent.
In 2010, Ross added that piano experts highly respect Hamelin. They admire his "monstrously brilliant technique." They also appreciate his thoughtful way of playing music. In 2015, Zachary Woolfe of The New York Times noted Hamelin's "preternatural clarity and control." He said these qualities also show his sensitivity and artistic expression.
Discography
Personal Life
Marc-André Hamelin lives in Boston, Massachusetts. He is married to Cathy Fuller, who is also a pianist. She works as a classical music broadcaster for WGBH. Hamelin has Type 1 diabetes.
See also
In Spanish: Marc-André Hamelin para niños
- List of classical pianists
- Canadian classical music
- List of people from Montreal
- List of Canadian musicians
