Cordelia Williams
“Extraordinary… Williams unapologetically takes her place among the most eloquent exponents of this great work [Schubert D958] in recent years.” (Gramophone, Nov 2021)
Polish-Welsh-English pianist Cordelia Williams is recognised for the poetry and conviction of her playing and the depth of her interpretations. She has performed all over the world, including concertos with the English Chamber Orchestra (in Mexico City), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (at Barbican Hall, London), as well as recitals at Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Beijing Concert Hall.
“A profound aesthetic understanding conveyed through an interpretative technique of the highest order, which are rarely encountered these days.” (Musical Opinion)
Cordelia has become particularly known for her remarkable understanding of the music of Schubert and Schumann. Her 2021 album Nightlight, celebrating Schubert’s late Sonata D958, received rave reviews across the board and was awarded Critics’ Choice by International Piano and Recording of the Year by MusicWeb International. “Williams finds astonishing beauty in these pieces that had me shaking my head in wonder. Consummate artistry… touching real greatness.” Cascade, her fifth album, was released in September 2023: “defiantly original, boldly expressive, a myriad of colours” (All About the Arts); “This is playing that plumbs the essence of Beethoven’s expressive genius… Don’t miss it.” (International Piano)
Cordelia enjoys introducing the music she plays, as well as using unusual programming and collaborations to shed new light on well-known works and to tell different stories. Alongside her performing career she gained a First in Theology from Clare College, Cambridge; her curiosity towards humanity and faith led to her year-long project, Between Heaven and the Clouds: Messiaen 2015. In partnership with award-winning poet Michael Symmons Roberts, former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Rowan Williams and artist Sophie Hacker, this ambitious series of events and performances explored the music and context of Messiaen’s Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus. She is currently developing two unique cross-discipline collaborations, as well as new commissions and a large-scale project focusing on joy, grace and wildness.
She enjoys a flourishing duo partnership with violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen. Cordelia studied at Chethams School of Music and Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and was Piano Winner of BBC Young Musician of the Year 2006. She welcomed her first son in 2017, who has accompanied her on several concert tours and was joined by a brother in 2019 and then a baby sister in late 2024. Her first book, The Happy Music Play Book, was published in 2021 and received Book of the Year at the Presto Music Awards. It is written for parents of young children who, like her, want to make music a joyful part of everyday family life. In 2021 Cordelia also spent time performing, teaching and filming in Kenya. Her documentary-film On Being a Pianist in Kenya (available on YouTube) explores the challenges facing young aspiring classical musicians in Nairobi; one of the pianists Cordelia mentors has since taken up a scholarship at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (the first Kenyan to study piano at European conservatoire). Together they featured on a 2023 Radio 4 series called How to Spot Potential.
She can be found on YouTube, where she shares practice insights, performances and videos about life as a musician.
