British pianist Richard Ormrod made his first concerto appearance at the age of ten, playing Mozart. After youthful studies at the Welsh College of Music (Junior Department) and Wells Cathedral School, concentrating on piano, he chose to broaden his musicianship, earning an MA in musicology at King's College, Cambridge University. With prizes in five major international competitions won along the way, at age 17 Ormrod spent the first of five summers as an artist-in-residence at the Aspen Music Festival. Later, he accepted an invitation for several years postgraduate coaching with ElissoVirsaladze at the Moscow Conservatory.

Mr. Ormrod, whose intellectual curiosity and philosophical probing informs his artistry, developed his career with a wide range of recital repertory--from Bach to Beethoven, Brahms and Schoenberg--performing for audiences throughout the United Kingdom, as well as in Austria, Bosnia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, the United States, and Yugoslavia. He toured as concerto soloist with the Philharmonia Virtuosi in the Pacific Rim--from Los Angeles to Tokyo--in 1996 and made international tours with the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra in 1999, 2001 and 2003 (and again in 2009), as well as playing with the Bournemouth Sinfonietta and Northern Chamber Orchestra among others in the United Kingdom and United States. At the Beethoven gala on New Year's Eve 2000 he made a first London Barbican Centre appearance, with the Philharmonia Orchestra under conductor David Parry. He was again the soloist for the Barbican Centre's New Years Eve Beethoven gala in 2004.

Chamber music has been central to Richard Ormrod's musical life and learning--from his early training through exploratory student days and professional development. Appointed permanent pianist with the Salzburg Hyperion Ensemble in 1999, he has performed with these acclaimed artists in numerous countries and at the San Jose Chamber Music Society and Yale University Chamber Music Society, among other stops on their 2003 and 2005 USA tours. A versatile musician, he joined the renowned Dorian Wind Quintet on US tours in 1997, 1999 and 2000, with engagements including New York City and the Louisville Chamber Music Society. In early 2008 he returns to the USA with his frequent partners Trio d'Archi di Praga. In 2009 he joins the venerated Czech Nonet for extended tours during their 85th Anniversary Season.

Professor Stephen Walsh, former music critic of the London Observer has said, "He is one of the most literate pianists I know, in both the musical and more general senses." Audiences worldwide have increasing opportunities to hear Ormrod's adroit interpretive talent. The BBC has broadcast his performances live, and, as the 1990 First-Prize winner, he was included in a television documentary on the Texaco Young Musicians Competition. With a first CD recording (Schubert A Major Sonata, D. 959), other milestones include a formal Rudolfinum (Prague) debut with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra in April 2001, broadcast live to 38 countries, and recital debuts in Central America at the National Theater in Panama City in August 1999 and Los Angeles at the South Bay Center for the Arts in March 2004. In April 2005, Mr. Ormrod recorded the complete solo piano works of American composer Frank Schmelzer (to be released in early 2007).

Mr. Ormrod studied piano with Beate Popperwell, Michael Young, Rita Sloan, and Elisso Virsaladze and had additional coaching with Gyorgy Kurtag, Menahem Pressler, Ferenc Rados, Joseph Kalichstein and other noted artists. He lives in London and serves on the piano faculty of the University of Wales in Cardiff, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and Trinity College, London. He has served as guest faculty of the Royal Academy of Music (London) and the Leipzig Hochschule fur Musik, among others.