City of residence : Deagu
Elias Ackerley was born in Shrewsbury, England in 2001. Emigrating the following year, Elias began his piano studies at the age of 5 in South Korea. After making rapid progress, he was taken on by Russian pianist Oleg Shitin. After moving back to the UK at the age of 11, Elias gave his debut recital in Chester, UK, and has since performed regularly in the UK and South Korea.
Between 2014 and 2019, Elias was a pupil of Dr. Murray McLachlan at Chetham’s School of Music, where he became the youngest-ever winner of Chetham’s Beethoven competition. During this period, Elias took 1st prize at the Scottish International Youth Piano Competition (2017), the Blue Ribbon at the National Eisteddfod (2017), and the Epta UK Piano Competition (2018). In 2018, he was 2nd prize winner in the Roma International Piano Competition. In 2019, Elias was offered a coveted position at the Curtis Institute of Music.
Elias has participated in masterclasses with Sir Andras Schiff and Stephen Hough and lessons from Leslie Howard, Boris Berman and Robert McDonald.
Principal teachers
- Gary Graffman 2019-present
- Meng-Chieh Liu 2021-present
Major Competitions
- 4th prize, Aarhus International Piano Competition, 2023
- Finalist, BBC Young Musician Keyboard category, 2018
- 2nd prize, Roma International Piano Competition, 2018
- 1st prize, Scottish International Youth Piano Competition, 2017
Program
FIRST ROUND: RECITAL
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonata in F major, Op. 10 No. 2
Allegro • Allegretto • Presto
Franz Liszt
‘Après une lecture du Dante, fantasia quasi sonata’ (Années de pèlerinage, deuxième année, S. 161 : No. 7)
Johann Strauss II / Alfred Grünfeld
Soirée de Vienne, Op. 56
SEMIFINAL: CHAMBER MUSIC
Gabriel Fauré
Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 15
Allegro molto moderato
SEMIFINAL: RECITAL
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonata in A-flat major, Op. 110
Moderato cantabile molto espressivo • Allegro molto • Adagio ma non troppo – Fuga (Allegro ma non troppo)
Sergei Rachmaninov
Variations on a Theme by Corelli, Op. 42
Barbara Assiginaak
Mzizaakok Miiniwaa Mzizaakoonsak (Horseflies and Deerflies)
Alexander Scriabin
Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp major, Op. 30
Andante • Prestissimo volando
FINAL: CONCERTO
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Concerto No.1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23
Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito • Andantino semplice – Prestissimo • Allegro con fuoco
Adopt a Musician
The presence of Elias Ackerley in Montreal
is generously supported by Pierre Lessard
