Biography
A curious and innovative artist, pianist Élisabeth Pion, born in 1996 in Quebec, Canada, is internationally active as a soloist, chamber musician, and artistic collaborator.
Based in London, UK, Élisabeth is currently finishing the Artist Diploma program with Ronan O’Hora at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where she is a full scholarship holder since 2018. She has previously worked in Canada with Francine Lacroix, Suzanne Goyette and André Laplante.
Élisabeth was selected by Dame Imogen Cooper to take part in the Imogen Cooper Music Trust for 2021. In 2019, she was chosen to work with Christian Blackshaw during the Hellensmusic Festival. She has also played in masterclasses for, notably, Till Fellner, Stephen Hough, Boris Berman, Bernd Goetske, Claudio Martinez Mehner, Richard Goode, Paul Lewis and Robert Levin.
Élisabeth has been successful in many competitions: she has notably won the 1st prize of the Thousand Islands International Piano Competition, the Prix Banque Nationale of the Prix d’Europe, the 1st prize of the Shean Piano Competition, the Silver Medal of the Musician’s Company of London and the Guildhall Wigmore Recital Prize. Élisabeth was named in the CBC Palmares 30 Hot Canadian Classical Musicians under 30, and was also selected as one of the 15 Rising Stars of 2018 from the magazine La Scena Musicale. She made her BBC Radio 3 broadcast debut in 2019 in the BBC Total Immersion day celebrating Nadia and Lili Boulanger.
In July 2021, she made her Wigmore Hall solo recital debut. Her upcoming performances include her debut with the Orchestre symphonique de Laval and the Orchestre symphonique de Longueuil. She has previously been invited as a soloist with the Ensemble Sinfonia de Montréal, the Orchestre symphonique du Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, the Ensemble Volte and Arion Orchestre Baroque. Élisabeth is scheduled to make her debut in China in the near future.
Élisabeth is passionate about chamber music and is a member of the De Beauvoir Piano Trio. She has been active in performing on fortepiano, having worked with Maggie Cole, and has recently performed two Mozart concerti with Arion Orchestre Baroque in Montréal on a Broadwood piano dating from 1826, with conductor Mathieu Lussier. She is also fascinated by classical improvisation and has worked with David Dolan in this area.
Élisabeth places great value on approaching music from a holistic perspective. Her deep interests in literature, writing and Tai Chi nurture her musical practice. She has had considerable experience of interdisciplinary collaboration with artists from different backgrounds: in 2015, with the Sanchez Brothers, photographers, for a project titled The Lesson; in 2016, with visual artist Patrick Bernatchez, as part of the exhibition Goldberg Experienced at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal; in 2018, with Le Théâtre Indépendant, as musical director of the Quartett Solo production (Heiner Müller). She is also the Co-Director of the Festival Unisson in Canada, which centres on creating an immersive experience between a single listener and a musician.
Élisabeth is grateful for the support of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation, The Musicians’ Company Carnwath Scholarship, Help Musicians UK, the Jeunesses Musicales du Canada and Talent Unlimited UK.
