Ian Parker

Charismatic, relaxed, and a captivating communicator, Canadian pianist Ian Parker delights audiences wherever he performs. He has appeared with orchestras such as the Buffalo Philharmonic, Calgary Philharmonic, Cincinnati Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra at the Blossom Festival, Edmonton Symphony, Honolulu Symphony, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, National Symphony, Virginia Symphony, as well as the Québec, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg symphony orchestras.

An enthusiastic recitalist, Mr. Parker has performed throughout the United States, Western Europe, Israel, and across Canada on tours with Debut Atlantic and Jeunesses Musicales Canada. He made his New York recital debut at Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater in 2004.

Mr. Parker collaborates frequently with the acclaimed Vogler String Quartet on tours throughout the U.S. and Canada, at the Vogler Springs Festival in Sligo, Ireland, and at the Kammermusik Festival in Hamburg, Germany. As a duo recitalist with violinist Augustin Hadelich, he toured extensively across the U.S. and Canada during the 2009–2010 seasons.

The year 2009 marked significant recording activity: in addition to the present release, Mr. Parker recorded a solo album of fantasies for Azica Records. His new exclusive contract with ATMA includes two further recordings to be released over the next three seasons. Winner of the First Prize at the 2001 CBC National Competition, Mr. Parker also earned the Grand Prize at the Canadian National Music Festival, the Corpus Christi International Competition, and the Concours de l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. At Juilliard, he received the William Petschek Piano Debut Award in 2002 and twice won the Gina Bachauer Piano Scholarship Competition. He is heard regularly on CBC Radio and has performed live on New York’s WQXR (hosted by Robert Sherman).

Born in Vancouver into a family of pianists, Ian Parker began piano studies at the age of three with his father, Edward Parker. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Juilliard School, where he studied under Yoheved Kaplinsky. During his time at Juilliard, he received the Canada Council for the Arts’ Sylva Gelber Career Award, given annually to “the most talented Canadian artist.”