Biography
Described by The Daily Telegraph as ‘in a class of his own’ James Baillieu is one of the leading song and chamber music pianists of his generation. He has given solo and chamber recitals throughout the world and collaborates with a wide range of singers and instrumentalists including Benjamin Appl, Jamie Barton, Ian Bostridge, Allan Clayton, Annette Dasch, Lise Davidsen, the Elias and Heath Quartets, Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Adam Walker, and Pretty Yende. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Ulster Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, and the Wiener Kammersymphonie.
Highlights of his 23/24 season include a recital tour with Lise Davidsen at venues including the Metropolitan Opera House, the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, the Wigmore Hall, and the Wiener Staatsoper. He performs at Fundación Juan March and in venues across Japan with Benjamin Appl, at the Festival du Périgord Pourpre and Festival van Vlaanderen with Véronique Gens, at the Concertgebouw with Jess Gillam, and at the Gran Teatre del Liceu and Salzburg Easter Festival with Lise Davidsen and Freddie de Tommaso. James returns to the Wigmore Hall for recitals with Louise Alder, Tara Erraught and Tim Mead.
James is a frequent guest at many of the world’s most distinguished music centres including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Vancouver Playhouse, Berlin Konzerthaus, Vienna Musikverein, the Barbican Centre, Wiener Konzerthaus, Bozar Brussels, Pierre Boulez Saal, Cologne Philharmonie, and the Laeiszhalle Hamburg. Festivals include Aix-en-Provence, Verbier, Schleswig-Holstein, Festpillene i Bergen, Edinburgh, Spitalfields, Aldeburgh, Cheltenham, Bath, City of London and Brighton Festivals.
Read moreReviews
“Anything but an “accompanist,” Baillieu was at least Appl’s expressive equal. Again and again, a subtle shift of color, a chord exquisitely balanced, a telling hesitation before a pivotal downbeat shed new light on the music. I can’t recall another pianist so daringly delaying that magical shift from minor to major mode in the opening “Good Night,” before the words “I will not disturb you as you dream.” It was the stuff of chills down the back.”
“Clayton and Baillieu performed it with stunning understanding and a theatrical verve.“
“As ever, James Baillieu was the perfect accompanist. The subtle brilliance of the tiptoeing accompaniment to Thomas Dunhill’s ‘The Cloths of Heaven’, the kitten-on-the-keys appoggiaturas against the warm Berceuse in ‘The monk and his Cat’, the brittle waltzes in ‘Nuvoletta’ and ‘Oft in the Stilly Night’, the tolling ostinato in ‘The desire for Hermitage’, and the rich chromaticism of the Balfe numbers, all demonstrated a consummate understanding of the idioms.”
“At the piano Baillieu unfailingly captured the mood of each of the nine songs in writing that ranges from tumultuous to stark, declamatory to numb.”
Press Reviews
“With this concert, which also served as her New York debut recital, Lise Davidsen joined a select group of singers who have given a solo recital on the Metropolitan Opera stage . Superbly accompanied by pianist James Baillieu, she effortlessly delivered a wide ranging program of monumental scenes from Russian, Italian and German opera, songs by Grieg, Sibelius, Schubert and Richard Strauss, and lighter pieces from Viennese operetta and Broadway.”
“The Metropolitan Opera offered audiences a spectacular recital by Norwegian soprano Lisa Davidsen, with her excellent musical partner James Baillieu on piano”
“Pianist Baillieu played a particularly significant role here, with the songs going from the romantically melodic, to the exuberant.”
“Mr. Baillieu was stylish in his Grieg. He was smart, supple, and civilized…an excellent accompanist. We hear him regularly in New York.”
“Baillieu, who excelled at the piano throughout the recital, proved particularly adept in distilling the vibrancy and color of the orchestrations at the keyboard.”
“Baillieu also dodged expectations, exploring degrees of quiet from the Met’s vast stage.”
