Martin James Bartlett

In the 2021/22 season, Bartlett gave a European tour with the LGT Young Soloists, performing Philip Glass’s ‘Tirol’ piano concerto at the Berlin Konzerthaus, Vienna Musikverein and Hamburg Elbphilharmonie culminating in a gala performance for the Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein in London. Bartlett also debuted with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in March 2022 and The Times wrote: “the performance that matters is Bartlett’s splendidly dashing and tender account of Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini”.

This season, Bartlett also plays recitals at the Festival International de Piano de La Roque d'Anthéron, International Chopin Piano Festival at Duszniki Zdrój, Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Salle Cortot Paris, Dresden Music Festival, Stadtcasino Basel and the Warsaw Philharmonic for the Ludwig Van Beethoven Easter Festival. Furthermore, Bartlett embarked upon an American tour in the Young Concert Artists Series this season, which included debut performances in New York and The Kennedy Centre, Washington DC. 

His first album was released in 2019 and received 5 stars in The Times: “Bartlett's ability to think long-term, rather than give in to immediate excitement, is probably his most impressive trait. No.2 on his score card may be his unaffected delicacy of touch, colour and tone, brilliantly shown in the three Petrarch sonnet settings from Liszt's Années de pèlerinage... Everything works to illuminate the music."

Martin James Bartlett’s early public success was as the winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2014. This led to engagements with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra and in 2015 Bartlett made his BBC Proms debut performing Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In the following year, he performed at Her Majesty The Queen's 90th Birthday thanksgiving service, which was broadcast live on BBC One from St. Paul's Cathedral.

In August 2020, Bartlett was announced as the inaugural winner of the Virtu(al)oso Global Piano Competition by Piano Cleveland. In 2018 he was awarded 2nd prize and the Audience Award at the Kissingen Piano Olympiad. In 2021 he was awarded the Queen Mother Rosebowl by HRH Prince Charles and graduated with a first class Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and an Artist’s Diploma from the Royal College of Music, having studied under Professor Vanessa Latarche. Bartlett is the RCM Benjamin Britten Piano Fellow from 2020 until 2022.

Recent and future highlights include recitals at the Elbphilharmonie, Wiener Konzerthaus and Muziekcentrum De Bijloke Gent and invitations from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Martin James Bartlett is managed in North America by Young Concert Artists.

2021/22 season / 515 words. Not to be altered without permission.