Australian-based pianist Michael Kieran Harvey was born in Sydney and studied piano in Canberra with Alan Jenkins, at the Sydney Conservatorium under Gordon Watson, and at the Liszt Academy, Budapest, under the Director, Professor Sandor Falvai.

His career has been notable for its diversity and wide repertoire. Michael Kieran Harvey has worked with conductors such as Edo de Waart, Reinbert de Leeuw, Diego Masson and Kristian Jarvi, and collaborated recently with the Arditti String Quartet, the Netherlands and Luxembourg Philharmonics, Jon Lord (Deep Purple), Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake and Palmer), Absolute Ensemble and Paul Grabowsky (Australian Art Orchestra). He regularly appears as soloist with all Australian Symphony orchestras.

Renowned for his performances of new music, Harvey has especially promoted the works of Australian composers, internationally and within Australia. He has premiered many new Australian concertos by composers such as Vine, Westlake, Grabowsky, Joseph and Conyngham. In Australia he has premiered important international works by Andriessen, Wolpe, Martino, Zappa, Jon Lord, Keith Emerson and Babbitt. He has performed and recorded most of Messiaen's works involving piano to high critical acclaim, in 2005 releasing a live 3-CD recording of the Australian premiere of the entire "Catalogue d'oiseaux" featuring Peter Cundall as narrator.

Move releases range from Harvey's own original music through new major works by Australian contemporaries (Sitsky, Joseph, Westlake, Byrne, McCaughey, Pollard, Ford, Knehans, Nock, Hair, Gifford and Friedel) to works by emerging Japanese and Mexican composers, and a disc of early Messiaen and Shostakovitch. Tall Poppies released his CDs of the complete Vine piano music (including the 12 preludes written 2006) and the Westlake first sonata. Additionally a CD of American duos with violinist Miwako Abe was released on New World Records.

Michael Kieran Harvey's distinctive pianism has been recognised by numerous national and international awards, including the Grand Prix in the Ivo Pogorelich Piano Competition (Pasadena), the Debussy Medal (Paris), four consecutive Australian "Mo" awards for best classical artist, the Australian government's Centenary Medal for services to Australian music, and most recently he has been twice nominated for the Helpmann Award. His recordings are regularly nominated in the ARIAs and APRAs.

In 2005 the estate of the late Susan Remington established the Michael Kieran Harvey Scholarship in honour of his contribution to Australian music, and to encourage future directions in keyboard art music. He is currently Adjunct Professor at the Tasmanian Conservatorium, Visiting artist at the Victorian College of the Arts and Fellow of the Faculty of Music, Melbourne University.

Visit Michael's website here.