Colin Currie

The soloist of choice for composers from Reich to Rautavaara, Colin Currie has been the driving force behind new percussion repertoire for more than a decade. Acclaimed for his virtuosity and musical integrity, he is a solo and chamber artist at the peak of his powers. Championing new music at the highest level, Mr. Currie is soloist with many of the world's leading orchestras, such as the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, and London Philharmonic.  

Mr. Currie's "athletic percussionism, compulsive showmanship, and deep musicality" (The Guardian) has inspired composers from around the globe, including new works by Steve Reich, James MacMillan, and Louis Andriessen. From his earliest years Mr. Currie forged a pioneering path in creating new music for percussion. He was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award in 2000 for his inspirational role in contemporary music-making, and recent projects include premieres by composers such as Simon Holt, Kurt Schwertsik, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Jennifer Higdon, Alexander Goehr, and most recently Elliott Carter, whose double concerto Conversations Mr. Currie premiered with Pierre-Laurent Aimard at the Aldeburgh Festival in June 2011, conducted by Oliver Knussen.

Mr. Currie is Artist in Residence at London's Southbank Centre, a role that will enable him to develop new relationships with artists and ensembles across a variety of art forms, as well as take part in collaborative and educational projects. The residency also involves several major commission projects, including the world premieres with the London Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, and the Turku Philharmonic.

The Colin Currie Group, his dynamic percussion ensemble, continues to receive critical acclaim for its performances of Steve Reich's iconic work Drumming, following sellout performances throughout the UK, including at London's Southbank Centre, Sound Festival Aberdeen, Bristol Colston Hall, Birmingham Town Hall, and the 2011 Cheltenham Festival. Other recital projects include a new duo recital with trumpeter Hakan Hardenberger, which premiered in Aldeburgh, Hannover, and the Far East, including new commissions by Lucas Ligeti, Christian Muthspiel, and Tobias Broström.  

Mr. Currie's CD releases include a forthcoming recording of Rautavaara's Incantations with the Helsinki Philharmonic under John Storgårds on the Ondine label; Jennifer Higdon's Percussion Concerto conducted by Marin Alsop with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, a disc that won a 2010 Grammy Award; and the recital disc Borrowed Time, featuring music by British composer Dave Maric, which is available on the Onyx label.