Monday 20 October 2025
10am
Silk Street Music Hall
Piano Masterclass with Jimmy Brière
Programme
Xu Peng | 10am
Frédéric Chopin
Scherzo No 2 in B-flat minor, Op 31
Catherine Chang | 10.50am
Sergei Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor, Op 18
I. Moderato
II. Adagio sostenuto
III. Allegro scherzando
Yan-Cheng Lin | 12pm
Robert Schumann
Carnaval Op 9
Préambule
Pierrot
Arlequin
Valse noble
Eusebius
Florestan
Coquett
Réplique
Papillons
Lettres dansantes
Chiarina
Chopin
Estrella
Reconnaissance
Pantalon et Colombine
Valse allemande
Paganini
Aveu
Promenade
Pause
Marche des Davidsbündler contre les Philistins
Jimmy Brière
Jimmy Brière has been a guest soloist of numerous orchestras including the Montréal Symphony Orchestra, the Québec Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre de la Francophonie, the I Musici de Montréal chamber orchestra, the Orchestra Classica of Porto, the Pleven Philharmonic, the Ruse Philharmonic and the South Bend Symphony, amongst others. He is also a regular guest at major festivals and music organizations in the country such as the Festival de Lanaudière, the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, the Orford Musique Festival and the Domain Forget International Festival.
A sought-after chamber musician, he has performed with renowned musicians and ensembles such as the double bassist Edgar Meyer, the clarinettist James Campbell, the New Zealand String Quartet and the Canadian Chamber Players. Additionally, many of his performances have been broadcasted on CBC and Radio-Canada, the WFMT-FM in Chicago, as well as Kol Hamusica in Israel. Since 2017, he has been a member of the Trio Hochelaga with whom he has performed on various stages throughout Quebec and, most recently, as part of a tour in China.
His first solo CD released on the Analekta label was very well received by critics in Canada and around the world. This disc featured works by Korngold, Rota and Corigliano, all of whom were recipients of an Oscar. Jimmy Brière has also recorded works for piano and chamber music by Jean Françaix under the label XXI-21 and, most recently, an album of the chamber music of Auguste Descarries on Atma Classique.
First Prize Winner of the Hong Kong International Piano Competition in 1997, laureate of the Porto International Competition in 1996, prize winner of the CBC Radio National Competition for Young Performers in 2001, and gold medal winner of the Fischoff Chamber Music competition in 2004, Jimmy Brière was also the recipient of the 21st Prix Opus for the “Concert of the Year” in contemporary music (2018) for his performance of Alberto Ginastera’s Piano Concerto No 2 with the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne (NEM).
Jimmy Brière is currently a Full Professor of Piano at the Music Faculty of the Université de Montréal. A guest professor at Orford Musique Academy since many years, he has given masterclasses in many important institutions such as Guildhall School, the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Lyon, the Haute Ecole de musique de Lausanne and the Glenn Gould School of Toronto. He has also frequently served as a jury member for many national and international competitions. A graduate of the Université de Montréal, Indiana University and the Glenn Gould School of Toronto, Jimmy Brière has studied with Marc Durand, Leon Fleisher, Manahem Pressler and André Laplante.

Forthcoming Events
Piano Masterclass with Jarred Dunn
5 November 2025
Silk Street Music Hall
We’re delighted to welcome pianist Jarred Dunn to work with Guildhall keyboard players in this free, open masterclass.
Guildhall Symphony Orchestra
5 November 2025
Barbican Hall
Jessie Montgomery’s Coincident Dances, Ravel’s dazzling Piano Concerto in G major and Tchaikovsky’s dramatic Fourth Symphony feature in this stirring concert conducted by Joshua Weilerstein.
3 December 2025
Silk Street Music Hall
Outstanding Guildhall pianists perform works by Beethoven in this competition final.

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Photo © David Monteith-Hodge
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
Founded in 1880 by the City of London Corporation
Chair of the Board of Governors
The Hon. Emily Benn
Principal
Professor Jonathan Vaughan
Vice-Principal & Director of Music
Armin Zanner
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Barbican,
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EC2Y 8DT
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Guildhall School is provided by the City of London as part of its contribution to the cultural life of London and the nation.
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