Alexander Boyd made his Concerto debut at the age of 11 with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yerzy Maksymiuk, and since his London Wigmore Hall debut in 2001 he has frequently performed at concert halls and music society’s throughout the UK, including London’s South Bank Centre, Barbican, Conway Hall, St Johns Smith Square, St Martins in the Fields, Birmingham’s Barber Institute and Cardiff’s St David’s Hall. He has given recitals in Ireland, Belgium, Italy, the US, Australia and New Zealand, also appearing at international festivals such as Yale and Tanglewood (US), Aldeburgh (UK), Banff (Canada) and Huntingdon (Australia).
Recent years have included concerts in the UK and USA, debut recitals in Mexico in partnership with Pro Musica, and concerts in Australia including performances presented by Musica Viva. Alexander frequently returns to Australia where he spent much of his childhood, and this year his programme will include a premiere performance of his composition “The Bride Suite”, based on the art works by his grandfather Arthur Boyd. He frequently plays works by other contemporary composers, most recently “5 Trees” by David Matthews, and next year he will premiere a Suite in 13 movements by the composer Elena Kats-Chernin.
2026/27 also brings recitals throughout the UK, as well as concerts with duo partner and brother, cellist Nathaniel Boyd. They include London’s Wigmore Hall, South Bank Centre, Leighton House and Conway Hall, the Gloucestershire Music Society and Concerts in the West. As a chamber musician, he has also collaborated with numerous ensembles, most recently the Navarra, Goldner and Dante String Quartets.
Alexander has composed the music for three films, “Galatea”, “Sogni d’Oro and “Art in Heaven”. He has broadcast for BBC Radio and ABC Radio amongst others, and in 2020 he was invited by Steinway Pianos to join their roster of Steinway Artists.
His discography includes recordings of Chopin, Beethoven, Prokofiev, Bach, Debussy and Schumann, and more recently he has been recording much of the Spanish repertoire with Claudio Records and Naxos.
His recording of Goyescas by Granados was nominated for a Grammy Award, and that and the Iberia Suite by Albeniz were described by International Piano Magazine as “riveting, compelling and utterly haunting, full of poetry, technical virtuosity and Spanish atmosphere” and by Musical Opinion as “immaculate playing by this highly gifted artist. There are several rival versions of this wonderful music but none finer than this. First rate”
His recently released recording of Chopin’s 4 Ballades, Impromptus and Barcarolle for Claudio Records and Naxos was described by critic Robert Matthew Walker as “superb and well worth the attention of all lovers of Chopin. Boyd is a very fine artist and his grasp of detail and Chopin’s structural mastery is well nigh complete.”
2026 will also see the release of a CD called “Fandango” for Brancusi Classics, which includes several works never previously recorded and others specially arranged for the piano by Alexander.
He is passionate about teaching and is a member of the teaching staff at the Junior Guildhall School, Birmingham University and City Literary Institute. He has also given various master classes in the UK, the US and Australia.
Alexander was awarded scholarships to study at the Purcell School and Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Paul Berkowitz and James Gibb, later attending the Rubins Academy in Israel under Alexander Volkov and Pnina Salzman. He also studied with and has had master classes with musicians such as Murray Perahia, Stephen Kovacevich, Claude Frank, Willam Pleeth and Menahem Pressler amongst others.