Christopher Elton

He was a prizewinner in several British and international piano competitions, playing and broadcasting regularly as a soloist as well as a chamber musician. At the same time he worked as a freelance cellist with several major London orchestras.

Christopher Elton’s international recognition has come as a result of the success of his students at the Royal Academy of Music. They have won numerous international awards, including first prizes at the Van Cliburn, London “World” International Piano and “Top of the World” Competitions, as well as the Shenzen and Montreal International Piano Competitions. Further recent accolades include laureates in the four latest Leeds finals as well as Tchaikovsky, Leipzig (Bach), Dublin, Shanghai and various others. Many of his students are now recording artists, among them Freddy Kempf, Yevgeny Sudbin, Joanna MacGregor and Benjamin Grosvenor.

While the main focus of his work is at the Royal Academy in London, Mr. Elton has also been much in demand overseas both as a professor and as a jury member of international competitions. Within the last few years he has given masterclasses in the USA, Japan, Israel, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Spain, Germany, Ireland and Vietnam. He was a jury member in Moscow (Tchaikovsky), Dublin, Leeds, Bolzano (Busoni),Vienna (Beethoven), Shenzen and China International, Santander and for the 2017 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, USA. During recent years he has also given recitals in the UK, USA, Ireland, Spain, Australia and Vietnam.

Christopher Elton was Head of Keyboard at the Royal Academy of Music in London for 24 years. He was elected a Fellow in 1983. In 2002 the title of Professor of the University of London was conferred on him.  Mr. Elton was also a Visiting Professor of Piano at the University of Yale (2018).