Luke Welch – piano
Pianist Luke Welch was born and grew up in Mississauga (Ontario), Canada. He played his first public performance at age seven, and his first private piano instructors include Kyzysztof Jedrysik and Catherine Kuzeljevich. He later completed Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at the University of Western Ontario in Canada under the tutelage of John-Paul Bracey and accomplished further graduate studies in the Netherlands.
Welch has also participated in the classes of distinguished artists including Jean-Bernard Pommier, Cécile Ousset, Dang Thai Son, André Laplante, Jean-Paul Sevilla, and Stéphane Lemelin. He has performed extensively on the international stage including appearances in Canada, United States of America, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and New Zealand. This New Zealand tour received nation-wide exposureand critical acclaim, which included performances in Christchurch, Wellington, Taupo, Auckland, and Kerikeri.
Other highlight performances include recitals at St. Giles’ Cathedralin Edinburgh, St. Martin-in-the-Fieldsin London, Castletown Housein Ireland, St. Andrew’s-on-the-Terracein Wellington (New Zealand), Music Mondaysat Holy Trinity in Toronto, Southminster United Church and Trinity Anglican Churchin Ottawa, FCAP / Funen Concerts Art Productions in Amsterdam, and Beethoven Haus in Bonn, Germany. He made his concerto debut in 2004 with the Durham Chamber Orchestra, and has since performed with a number of orchestras including Greenway Strings, Mumbles Symphony Orchestra, and Winchmore String Orchestra.
He has received national and international awards and grants based in both North America and Europe, and in addition to his performance commitments and private teaching, he has been working with a number of national and international academies and arts institutions.
Welch’s highly-anticipated second album Crossing Borderswas released in 2017 to critical acclaim and is regularly broadcast on KING FM 98.1 Seattle and Radio Classique CJPX-FM. This year, he was named the 2018 recipient of the Harry Jerome Arts Award– distinguished with national recognition by the Black Business and Professional Association. His third albumis set to be recorded in September 2018.