Colin Currie

Hailed as “the world’s finest and most daring percussionist” (Spectator), Colin Currie is a solo and chamber artist at the peak of his powers. Championing new music at the highest level, Currie is the soloist of choice for many of today’s foremost composers and he performs regularly with the leading orchestras and conductors.

A dynamic and adventurous soloist, Currie’s unrivalled commitment to commissioning and creating new music was recognised in 2015 by the Royal Philharmonic Society who awarded him the Instrumentalist of the Year Award for his achievements. From his earliest years Currie forged a pioneering path in creating new music for percussion, winning the Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award in 2000 and receiving a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award in 2005. Currie has premiered works by composers such as Steve Reich, Elliott Carter, Louis Andriessen, HK Gruber, James MacMillan, Anna Clyne, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Jennifer Higdon, Kalevi Aho, Rolf Wallin, Kurt Schwertsik, Simon Holt, Alexander Goehr, Dave Maric, Julia Wolfe and Nico Muhly. Looking ahead, in the coming seasons Currie will premiere new works by Brett Dean, Ross Edwards and Mark-Anthony Turnage.

Currie is Artist in Residence at London’s Southbank Centre where he was the focus of a major percussion festival Metal Wood Skin in autumn 2014, featuring world premieres of Steve Reich’s “Quartet” with the Colin Currie Group, Anna Clyne’s “Secret Garden” and the UK premieres of James MacMillan’s “Percussion Concerto No.2” with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Louis Andriessen’s “Tapdance” with Asko-Schoenberg Ensemble. Other highlights included a solo percussion recital for school children, The Big Percussion Workshop Day, and foyer performances with percussion students from London conservatoires. … Full Bio