Described as an “endlessly fascinating artist”, Ashley Wass’s musical career is one of unusual creativity and variety. Alongside his work as soloist and chamber musician, he is co-founder of Mash Productions, was Artistic Director of the Lincolnshire International Chamber Music Festival for eleven years, has devoted over 15 years to music education, and is currently the Director of Music at the Yehudi Menuhin School.
Ashley began playing the piano at the age of five. In his teens he studied on a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music. His watershed moment came in 1997 when he won the London International Piano Competition, which led to a recording contract with Naxos. He was also a prizewinner at the Leeds Piano Competition, and is a former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist.
Ashley has performed at many of the world’s finest concert halls, including the Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall and the Vienna Konzerthaus. He has performed regularly as soloist with all of the BBC orchestras, the Philharmonia, Slovak Philharmonic and Hong Kong Philharmonic under the baton of conductors such as Simon Rattle, Donald Runnicles, Ilan Volkov and Vassily Sinaisky.
Renowned for a broad and eclectic repertoire, Ashley has received great critical acclaim for his recordings of music from a wide range of styles and eras, with glowing reviews of his interpretations of composers such as Liszt, Franck, Beethoven, and Bridge. Much in demand as a chamber musician, Ashley is a frequent guest of international festivals such as, Bath, Ako (Japan), Cheltenham, Mecklenburg, and Gstaad, playing solo recitals and chamber works with musicians such as Mitsuko Uchida, Steven Isserlis, Emmanuel Pahud, and members of the Guarneri Quartet and Beaux Arts Trio. He was also a co-founder of Trio Apaches.
Music education is a central focus of Ashley’s professional life. He was Professor of Piano at the Royal College of Music, Deputy Head of Keyboard Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, and is currently the Director of Music of both the Yehudi Menuhin School in the UK and its sister school in Qingdao.