Biography
Acclaimed by The Sunday Times for the verve and spirit of his performances, Adam Heron is swiftly earning a reputation as one of the most innovative pianists of his generation. Winner of the 2020 Harriet Cohen Bach Prize, Adam rose to prominence following his television debut in 2018 as a BBC Young Musician piano finalist. Through his unique artistry, coupled with an innate public appeal and flair for communication, he has become a leading ambassador for classical music across the UK and abroad.
Born in Hong Kong of Nigerian-Filipino descent, then adopted by an Irish family, Adam commands a demanding schedule of international engagements, featuring solo recitals at distinguished concert halls such as the International Center for Arts in Cairo and the National Center for the Performing Arts in Mumbai. Performances throughout the UK have encompassed esteemed venues such as Hampton Court Palace, Royal Albert Hall, Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Southbank Centre, St George’s Bristol, St Martin-in-the-Fields, The Holburne Museum, and Wigmore Hall. Festival appearances include The Aegean Arts International Festival (Greece), The Cayman Arts Festival (Cayman Islands), The Cheltenham Music Festival (United Kingdom), and The GAP Arts Festival (Ireland). Adam regularly engages with major media outlets including BBC Radio 3 as well as specialist broadcasters such as Colourful Radio. He has worked with leading presenters including Katie Derham and Sean Rafferty.
In addition to being an established solo recitalist, Adam is also a devoted collaborative pianist, composer, and conductor. He has performed alongside eminent musicians such as saxophonist Amy Dickson, double-bassist Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE, violinists Christopher Quaid and Daniel Pioro, sopranos Francesca Chiejina and Yaritza Véliz, as well as cellists Laura van der Heijden and Jamie Walton. In 2016 the celebrated Chineke! Orchestra invited Adam to become one of its first concerto soloists, and he has since worked with high-ranking conductors including David Curtis, Jonathon Heyward, and Pete Harrison. Collaborative highlights of the 2021/2022 season include an extensive tour of Romania and Moldova with the Hungarian concert violinist Antal Zalai.
Adam is a laureate of the Stefano Marizza International Piano Competition in Italy and the International Piano Competition HRH Princess Lalla Meryem in Morocco, where he additionally received the Prix Spécial from the Embassy of France in Rabat for his command of French music. As a recipient of the Hargreaves and Ball scholarship, Adam studied with Christopher Elton at the Royal Academy of Music in London, before graduating in 2021 with First Class Honours in addition to winning the Nancy Dickinson Award. He has received masterclasses from renowned pianists including Anne Queffélec, Imogen Cooper, John Lill, Paul Lewis, Stephen Hough, and Yevgeny Sudbin. Generously supported by Irish Heritage, The Hattori Foundation, The Keyboard Charitable Trust, The Macfarlane Walker Trust, The Talent Unlimited Foundation, and The Tillett Trust, Adam is currently pursuing postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Dr Peter McMurray.
