Stephen Walford began piano studies at the age of six and first performed at the age of 12. He was educated at South Downs College and then at Bristol University where he read Music. As a pianist, he has performed throughout the south of England playing some of the most important and demanding works of the repertoire. These include Rachmaninov's daunting 3rd Piano Concerto, Brahms' 2nd Piano Concerto, the complete Etudes op. 25 of Chopin and sonatas by Beethoven, Liszt and Rachmaninov.
His interest in lesser-known composers has also led to performances of works by Georgy Catoire, Emile Blanchet, Misha Levitzki, Leopold Godowsky, Ferrucio Busoni and Earl Wild. He is a great grand pupil of the legendary German pianist, Arthur Schnabel. He has attended master classes with Anthony Hopkins and Charles Rosen.
Since 1995, he has become an established piano teacher in the Southampton area, teaching many pupils from Fareham, Titchfield, Botley, Hedge End, West End, Bitterne and the surrounding area of south Hampshire.
A keen composer, Stephen has written for solo piano as well as a variety of choral works. His piano compositions include four transcriptions of songs by Schubert; an arrangement of Gershwin's Love is Here to Stay , which was premiered at the Bloomsbury festival in Australia in 2005 and a sixty page Fantasy on Themes from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , a homage to the grand romantic tradition of Liszt Alkan and Godowsky.
Stephen teaches on a new Yamaha CF6, a grand piano of incredible quality