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.
Grants
Concours musical international de Montréal Grant for unranked finalists
$3,000Offered by Louise Roy
Program
Watch
Piano 2024
Join our passionate team and play a key role in the Concours’ great musical and human adventure!
