Lawrence Power is one of today’s foremost violists, in demand worldwide as a recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber music partner. His artistry and penetrating musicianship gains him constant plaudits around the world, reflected in turn in eloquent reviews: ‘no musician today better equipped to play than the minstrel-like Power’ (Financial Times), ‘Power is something more: a profound musical personality, his every phrase new and noteworthy’ (Sunday Times). Over the past decade, he has become a regular guest performer with orchestras of the highest calibre, from the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Royal Concertgebouw, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Stockholm, Bergen and Warsaw Philharmonic orchestras to the Philharmonia, BBC Scottish Symphony and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestras.
In addition, as a guest soloist with the Melbourne and Adelaide Symphony orchestras, he has established a strong presence in Australia where he returns regularly to ‘play direct’ at the Australian National Academy of Music.
Recent highlights include his debut with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Staatsoper Kassel, Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with Daniel Hope at the Zurich Chamber Orchestra Season opening concert, his Salzburg Festival debut with Vilde Frang, as well as recitals in Dresden Music Festival, USA Savannah Festival and a concert series at London’s Kings Place. 2018-19 has seen a residency with the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra and another one with Turner Sims Southampton where he will act as a curator as well as a performer.
As a fervent champion of contemporary music, Lawrence has developed a large repertoire of new works. He gave the UK premiere of Olga Neuwirth’s concerto Remnants of Song at the 2012 BBC Proms, and the world premieres of scores written for him, including Salonen’s Pentatonic Étude, Turnage’s Power Play, Anderson’s Prayer, Goehr’s Hymn to Night, MacMillan’s Viola Concerto and Watkins’s Fantasy.
His recital credits include performances at Wigmore Hall, LSO St Luke’s, Lincoln Centre NY. He has developed an acclaimed partnership with pianist Simon Crawford-Phillips, collaborates with musicians such as violinist Maxim Vengerov or Joshua Bell. Artist in Residence with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, he has also forged a close relationship with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Power’s Award-nominated Hyperion recordings include Bartók, Rósza, Walton and Rubbra’s viola concertos, Shostakovich and Brahms’ viola sonatas, and York Bowen's complete works for viola and piano (with Crawford-Phillips). His three-disc Hindemith survey stands as a benchmark recording of the composer’s complete works for solo viola. His release, Fin de Siècle includes world premiere recordings of works by Büsser, Hüe and Honnoré, together with compositions by Chausson, Debussy, Enescu and Ravel. Power also features on Ian Bostridge and Sir Antonio Pappano’s Shakespeare Songs, joint winner of the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album. His next releases include Berlioz’s Harold in Italy with the Bergen Philharmonic for Hyperion and Erkki-Sven Tüür’s Illumination with the Tapiola Sinfonietta for Ondine, both recorded in 2017.
Lawrence Power is founder and Artistic Director of West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival.