Amir Farid
Pianist Amir Farid has been described as "a highly creative musician - a pianist of great intelligence and integrity. He brings strong musical substance to all that he does, imbuing it with his own particular experience and understanding", and who "in a well populated field...distinguishes himself for all the right reasons".
Winner of the 2006 Australian National Piano Award.
In 2004 Mr. Farid completed his B.Mus (Hon) at the University of Melbourne under the guidance of Ronald Farren-Price, and later attended the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) studying with Rita Reichman, the late Geoffrey Tozer and Timothy Young. In 2009, he graduated with distinction as a Scholar supported by the Gordon Calway Stone Memorial Award at the Royal College of Music London, studying with Andrew Ball.
He has performed concerti with the Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Melbourne Youth and ANAM Orchestras, including Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl with the Melbourne Symphony in front of a capacity 13,000 strong crowd. Collaborations with conductors include Graham Abbott, Peter Bandy, Alexander Briger, Oleg Caetani, Brett Dean, Marko Letonja and Benjamin Northey.
As a chamber musician, Mr. Farid is pianist of the acclaimed Benaud Trio (www.benaudtrio.com), winning the Piano Trio prize at the 2005 Australian Chamber Music Competition, and with whom he undertook a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada.
As an associate artist, he was winner of the prize for best pianist at the 2006 Mietta Song Recital award, and the 2007 Geoffrey Parsons Award. Collaborations include cellists Alexander Baillie, Mats Lidstrom and Martin Loveday, saxophonist Claude Delangle, clarinetist Dong Jun-Mo, contralto Liane Keegan, pianist Max Olding, soprano Merlyn Quaife, the Tin Alley String Quartet and mezzo-soprano Pamela Turner.
Throughout his studies, Mr. Farid has participated in lessons and masterclasses with Michele Campanella, Aquiles Delle Vigne, Nikolai Demidenko, Christopher Elton, Gordon Fergus-Thompson, Cord Garben, Mark Gasser, Angela Hewitt, Ian Holtham, Leslie Howard, Julian Jacobson, Geoffrey Lancaster, Stephen McIntyre, Malcolm Martineau, Dominique Merlet, Hamish Milne, Lisa Moore, Ian Munro, Ruth Nye, Adrian Oetiker, Max Olding, Bart van Oort, Christina Ortiz, John Perry, Geoffrey Saba, Natasha Vlassenko, Frank Wibaut, Gerard Willems, Oxana Yablonskaya and John York.
Mr. Farid would like to acknowledge the support and generosity of the following organizations and individuals: Mr. Neville Arthur, the Australia Business Arts Foundation, the Australian Music Foundation, the Australian National Academy of Music, Mr. John Garran, Mrs. Lois Goodin, Mrs. Heather de Haes, the Ian Potter Cultural Trust, the Royal College of Music, The Swiss Global Artistic Foundation, the Tait Memorial Foundation, the Turnbull Family and the University of Melbourne.
Artist's website: www.amirfarid.com
Press quotes
“...an accomplished young musician. Farid’s experience in accompaniment and in chamber music has helped him develop a sensitivity for texture and colour that translates well to his solo playing...”
— Tony Way, The Age - Green Guide
“Amir Farid is a highly creative musician - a pianist of great intelligence and integrity. He brings strong musical substance to all that he does, imbuing it with his own particular experience and understanding.”
— David Lockett, Chair of the Adjudicators at the 2006 Australian National Piano Award
Amir Farid is featured on the following titles
Schumann Cello
The collaboration between cellist Zoe Knighton and pianist Amir Farid continues with a collection of short works by Clara and Robert Schumann
Performer: Piano
Brahms Cello
Zoe Knighton and Amir Farid present their seventh cello-piano collaboration — this time from the composer Johannes Brahms. The program includes his sonatas for cello as well as three songs where the cello presents the vocal line wordlessly.
Performer
Satellite Mapping
Amir Farid performs the complete piano pieces of Stuart Greenbaum composed between 1989 and 2014.
Performer: Piano
Russian Cello
Enter the world of Russia. Zoe Knighton and Amir Farid present a mix of unknown works alongside much loved classics. The recording celebrates a romanticism in composition inspired by the combination of cello and piano.
Performer: Piano
Amir Farid plays Javad Maroufi
Javād Maroufi was one of the first composers of piano music in Persia and celebrated for his contribution to Persian classical music. He was born in Tehran to musician parents Musa Maroufi and Ezra Maroufi – both pupils of renowned master, Darvish Khan. Javad’s mother died when he was young, so he was raised by his father and taught violin and tar from a young age.
Performer: Piano
A Little French Cello
A charming collection of music from the rich French school of the late 19th century. The sonority of the cello and the beautiful clarity of the piano make this CD both easy to listen to, and moving. The two performers, Zoe Knighton (Cello) and Amir Farid (Piano) are masters of their art.
Performer: Piano
Hymne à l’amour
Hymne à l’amour is an exquisite collection of art songs sung by soprano Siobhan Stagg and accompanied by Amir Farid. The songs illustrate the frailty of the human condition through flirtation, deep love and heartbreaking truths.
Performer: Piano
Beethoven Cello
Cellists often bemoan the lack of a cello concerto by Beethoven – and rightly so, but these eight works for cello and piano are the envy of many other instruments. The complete cello sonatas and variations of Beethoven are here on this two CD set.
Performer: Piano
Argentine Cello
More than just Piazzolla, hear the tango as presented by 7 fantastic composers and performed by two of Australia's finest young musicians, Zoe Knighton (cello) and Amir Farid (piano).
Performer: Piano
Mendelssohn Cello
Mendelssohn is often regarded as a composer who lived a charmed life and therefore whose compositions lack a certain integrity or depth of expression. The gloriousness of his music, its likeability and his creativity in celebrating humanity are certainly primary reasons for his music's longevity.
Performer: Piano
Veiled Virtuosity
The debut solo CD of 2006 Australian National Piano Award winning pianist Amir Farid. Features the works of Liszt, Brahms, Prokofiev, Beethoven, Greenbaum, Vine and Maroufi.
Performer: Piano
Moonlight Reflections
A recital album full to the brim with exquisite art song, this recording is a compilation of hidden treasures and classic favourites performed by Opera Australia star, Stacey Alleaume.
Performer: Piano
Amir Farid also appears on
Music for Strings
Composers include Australians George Dreyfus, Percy Grainger, Roger Rooman and Desmond Grixti, with three European composers as a bonus. The Southern Cross Philharmonic Orchestra is conducted by Gerald Gentry.
