Biography
London: (Barbican Hall)
“ a pianist of utmost sensational quality”
Geneve: (Prokofiev 3)
“ Niklas Sivelov est un pianiste dont l’intelligenc
e sait explorer toutes les ressources de son
instrument…et avec un virtuosité pe ́tillante.”
Copenhagen: (Tivoli)
“With an intense brilliance, a finely controlled
touch, exquisitely formed detail and an
impeccable sense of style”
Aalborg : (The Art Museum)
“The Renoir of the piano. One of the most interesting pianists of our time.”
As one of the leading Scandinavian pianists, the award winning pianist and composer, Niklas Sivelöv has taken his career to new international heights with an extensive catalogue of recordings for such labels as BIS, Caprice, Dacapo, Naxos ,Toccata Classics and AMC Classical, some of which have been awarded the Diapason d’or, CHOK and the Penguin Rosette and concert activity over 4 continents including venues such as Gewandthaus, Barbican Centre, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Tivoli Copenhagen and Atheneum in Bucharest.
He won critical acclaim and enchanted audiences for his artistic temperament, impeccable technique and spellbinding stage presence.
His wide-ranging concert repertoire covers Bach to Skryabin, Scandinavian composers and beyond, and includes approximately 50 piano concerti including 4 of his own, and the catalogue of works includes 3 Symphonies, 24 Preludes for piano and several Chamber music pieces. Niklas Sivelöv is also a notable improviser with several successful recordings and collaborations: the CD Improvisational 1 winning The Independent Music Awards, where he as the first Scandinavian ever won the prize for the best classical album and was elected Winner of Vox Populi.
The leading orchestras with which Niklas Sivelöv has performed include the Stockholm Philharmonic, Tonhalle (Zürich), Suisse Romande (Geneva), The MDR Orchestra (Leipzig) and Prague Radio Symphony under the baton of many distinguished conductors, among them Alan Gilbert, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Kristjan Järvi, Sakari Oramo, Mario Venzago, Jukka-Pekka Saraste , Janos Fürst and Leif Segerstam The instrumentalists with whom he has performed include the Swedish clarinettist Martin Fröst, cellist Leonid Gorokhov, flautist Patrick Gallois and violinist Zachar Bron.
Niklas Sivelöv grew up in Skellefteå in northern Sweden, where he began playing the organ as a six-year-old; his first compositions followed soon after. He played by ear until he was 14, when he began traditional piano instruction and learned to read music. He studied with, among others, Gabriel Amiras and Maria Curcio Diamond, students of the famed Heinrich Neuhaus and Artur Schnabel and today Niklas Sivelöv is modern representative for magic piano art where spiritual immersion and artistic courage bind together in higher unity.
He was recently Knighted by the Queen of Denmark to Knight of the Order of Dannebrog and he is professor at the Royal Danish Music Academy in Copenhagen.