Debut at Berlin Philharmonie: Mozart, Piano Concerto in C minor, K. 491 with Berliner Symphoniker.

Rhapsody in Blue in Kiel

“Andreas Boyde is full of musical mischief and once more wowed the audience in a packed Kiel Concert Hall, this time with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Boyde played the highly virtuosic piano part with spontaneous humour and trenchant clarity. His mercurial interpretation inspired the orchestra, together giving a particularly compelling performance.”

Recital with Piano Quintets by Rimsky-Korsakov and Dvorak

“Natürlich unter zupackender Federführung des Klaviers, bei dessen selbstbewussten Monologen die Übrigen zu schweigen haben. Das funktionierte perfekt, schloss innige Zwiegespräche genauso ein. Die überschäumende Spielfreude aller Partner zeigte sich bereits zu Beginn.”

Tchaikovsky’s 2nd Piano Concerto with Brandenburg State Orchestra, conducted by Jörg-Peter Weigle in Potsdam

“Pianist and Artist in Residence Andreas Boyde dazzled with powerful prowess par excellence and proved to be an expert of High Romantic piano repertoire. He also held longer monologues full of poetic reflection in the second movement. Combining a daring drive with his virtuosic light touch, the performance propelled to its rousing conclusion. After rapturous applause and bravos, Andreas Boyde moved the audience with an intimate ‘Albumblatt’ by Franz Schubert.”

The world premiere of Andreas Boyde’s “Dresden 1849” for Orchestra, based on Schumann’s Marsch, Op. 76 No. 1 took place in Potsdam’s Nikolaisaal. The Brandenburg State Orchestra was conducted by Jörg-Peter Weigle.

Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Brandenburg State Orchestra, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer in Potsdam

The performance had captivating momentum. Andreas Boyde delivered swinging joie de vivre, switching between pensive lyricism and exciting drive. A tsunami on the keyboard.

Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with Brandenburg State Orchestra, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer in Brandenburg

“A truly galvanising performance of the fantastic pianist Andreas Boyde”

“Andreas Boyde was the ideal soloist. An expressive performance, displaying a great sense of lyricism and a beautiful touch. What an admirable accomplishment, opening with a velvet sound and finishing with sweeping virtuosity.”

The new Henle edition of Brahms’ Piano Sonata in f minor, Op. 5 with Andreas Boyde’s fingerings published.

For more information about Andreas Boyde’s Henle projects, click here.

The new Henle edition of Brahms’ Piano Sonata in f sharp minor, Op. 2 with Andreas Boyde’s fingerings published.

For more information about Andreas Boyde’s Henle projects, click here.

The new Henle edition of Brahms’ Piano Sonata in C, Op. 1 with Andreas Boyde’s fingerings published.

For more information about Andreas Boyde’s Henle projects, click here.

“The pianist’s encore was an unforgettable rendition of Nachtstück from Hindemith’s Suite 1922. Andreas Boyde captivated the audience as a powerful performer, and not only with the encore. He gave pianistic emphasis to the Theme and Variations with a manifold sense of sound.”

“The orchestra, conducted by Wolfgang Hentrich with soloist Andreas Boyde, performed with zest and analytical incisiveness and took relish in the grotesque as well as in the sharp dissonances. Boyde’s encore painted a picture of Berlin’s twenties with enchantingly different stillness.”

“Boyde was always a characterful driving force and the musical initiator with a very flexible sound. His encore, Hindemith’s Nachtstück from Suite 1922 rounded off the concert most fittingly.”

The Pianist Andreas Boyde combined Brahms’ Sieben Fantasien, Op. 116 with Schönberg’s Sechs Klavierstücke in alternating order. In addition to Schönberg’s affinity for Brahms, this juxtaposition revealed more and more interaction and appeal, leading to an osmosis of the pieces. The reflective, gently lyrical passages were beautiful. Enthusiastic applause for an intelligent musicological experiment.

The new Henle edition of Brahms’ Piano Pieces with Andreas Boyde’s fingerings published. For more information about Andreas Boyde’s Henle projects, click here.

A Great Recital: [Andreas Boyde] cast a spell over his audience. In Debussy’s Images, he brought an impressionistic otherworldliness to life, displaying his manifold facets. Boyde painted the 20 miniatures of Schumann’s Carnaval in most splendid colours. Terrific virtuosity followed by melancholy – impetuous like a Paganini of the keyboards. Boyde showed Chopin’s romanticism with subtle playing and a richness of character.

I was happy to learn that Valentin Walczak from Versailles won the G. Henle Verlag Brahms Quiz. He will receive copies of my complete Brahms recordings on CD.

Photographed by Thomas Malik. Go to the gallery for more images.

Andreas Boyde gives an interview with Spokane Public Radio.

He will be playing with the Spokane Symphony this weekend and performing the Concerto for Piano and Winds by Igor Stravinsky and perhaps the most well-known piece of American classical music, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

Spokane Symphony takes an American journey with Andreas Boyde this weekend.

The compositions featured in the Spokane Symphony’s upcoming classics concert are meant to evoke the sights and sounds of America: The majesty of the Grand Canyon, the vibrancy of New York’s jazz scene, the timeless charms of George Gershwin’s American standard “Rhapsody in Blue.”

As for visiting pianist Andreas Boyde, he was born in Germany and is currently based out of London, but he spends plenty of time performing with symphonies in the States.

“It can be quite a challenge, but I also enjoy it very much,” Boyde said of his constant traveling. “Actually, I really look forward to working with Eckart (Preu), which will be our first time.”

Boyde’s musicianship seems to be almost genetic: His brother is also a working musician, and his sister is a music therapist.

“I started playing the piano at age 4,” Boyde said. “My dad played the piano, and I’d be under the instrument trying to hit the pedals, annoying him. My older brother started taking lessons, and I really wanted to play the piano as well.”

Despite his musical upbringing, Boyde said he never made the conscious decision to become a career musician.

“I just grew into it,” he said. “From being a child pressing buttons and something exciting happens, to being more serious about it. But you ‘play’ the piano, you don’t ‘work’ the piano, which I think is quite a wonderful aspect.”

During this weekend’s concerts, Boyde will be performing both Russian composer Igor Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments and George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” Though Stravinsky and Gershwin were contemporaries, they’re not often mentioned in the same breath. But Boyde says he sees some stylistic similarities in their work, especially in their Russian backgrounds (Gershwin’s parents were of Russian and Jewish heritage).

“Apart from being your classic American composer, (Gershwin) was clearly influenced by Russian and Jewish music,” Boyde said. “You can hear the Russian roots in ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’ and that’s another link that might tie the two pieces together. They were actually composed around the same time.”

Stravinsky was one of the most controversial composers of his era: The 1913 premiere of his piece “The Rite of Spring” supposedly incited riots in the audience, with opera composer Giacomo Puccini describing it as “the work of a madman.” This piano-wind concerto isn’t nearly as well-known as “Spring,” but it is equally unconventional.

“It’s a wonderful piece,” Boyde said. “It’s very rewarding and very fun, and it’s also funny. … Some people might be scared off a piece like the Stravinsky, but it’s actually great fun. It’s virtuosic, and it displays a lot of quirkiness, which people should enjoy. I notice that when I play the Stravinsky, it goes down well with the audience.”

Gershwin, on the other hand, has a comfortable presence in the American songbook, and the oft-performed “Rhapsody in Blue” should serve as a satisfying final course after the strangeness of Stravinsky.

“It’s certainly one of the most popular pieces for piano,” Boyde said. “It’s a wonderful show stopper.”

Original article found here.

JAW-DROPPING ANDREAS BOYDE ON PIANO

The new Tacoma Symphony pattern of a big, enthusiastic crowd, a robust orchestra and a phenomenal soloist continued at the season opening concert in the Pantages Theater last Saturday.

But the star of the evening was Boyde. With a huge tone that easily balanced the orchestra behind him, Boyde lived up to his nickname “Monsieur 100,000 Volts,” rocketing through octave triplets and chordal runs in a dizzying blur. But although Boyde has the kind of hands that can eat Tchaikovsky concertos for breakfast, he thinks hard about what he plays. Instead of gratuitous violence he offered careful shading, balancing the full, organ-like tone of the opening chords with a light, pensive second theme that made a perfect duo with a wafting flute. Theatrically Russian foot-stomps and a conducting lyrical left hand gave way to eye-popping double-hand staccato and a cadenza that left the audience spellbound.

The third was delightfully humorous in a very German way, with Boyde bringing in witty dialogue and wait-for-it pauses before a furious finale.

And – very welcome in a two-and-a-half-hour concert – no podium concert notes, just some extremely thoughtful musings on paper by Andreas Boyde.

Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra is starting its 67th season off with a bang.That bang comes in the form of world-renowned German pianist Andreas Boyde, who will perform as the guest soloist. Full article featured here.

Piano Concerto No. 2 in G, Op. 44 by Tchaikovsky: Andreas Boyde’s lyrical episodes were captivating, he thrilled the audience with a rich sound, agitated passagework, thundering octaves and descending cascades. His stamina and agile virtuosity generated great admiration. Boyde’s irrepressible performance was electrifying.

Andreas Boyde was the ideal soloist for Tchaikovsky’s 2nd Piano Concerto. A thoroughly jubilant performance followed by tremendous applause.

The new Henle edition of Brahms’ Fantasies, Op. 116 with Andreas Boyde’s fingerings published.

For more information about Andreas Boyde’s Henle projects, click here.

The new Henle edition of Brahms’ Piano Pieces, Op. 119 with Andreas Boyde’s fingerings published.

For more information about Andreas Boyde’s Henle projects, click here.

The new Henle edition of Brahms’ Two Rhapsodies, Op. 79 with Andreas Boyde’s fingerings published.

For more information about Andreas Boyde’s Henle projects, click here.

My 25th London anniversary! This is the very spot outside Liverpool Street Station where everything started.

Review, Norrköpings Tidningar: Andreas Boyde performs Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Stravinsky’s Piano Concerto with Norrköpings Symfoniorkester and Michael Francis.

The German pianist Andreas Boyde was the dynamic soloist of the Rhapsody. He has a personal sensitivity for sound and puts great focus on dramatic expression. When he played Igor Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Winds, he showed a completely different side. I liked in particular the contrasting slow movement with its meditative character, performed with great dynamic sensitivity.

The new Henle edition of Brahms’ Piano Pieces, Op. 118 with Andreas Boyde’s fingerings published.

For more information about Andreas Boyde’s Henle projects, click here.

Andreas Boyde’s new YouTube channel is launched by ChannelFlip. Click here to watch all his videos.

Andreas Boyde after the concert with Miami Symphony at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.

The new Henle edition of Brahms’ Scherzo, Op. 4 with Andreas Boyde’s fingerings published.

For more information about Andreas Boyde’s Henle projects, click here.

Andreas Boyde enters the Oschatz Book of Honour in a ceremonial act which takes place in the historic town hall of his hometown.

Steinway Artist Andreas Boyde enters Hall of Fame in Steinway Hall, London

“Steinway – a childhood dream has become a reality”