John Ogdon

Biography

John Ogdon (1937-1989) was an English pianist and composer born in Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire. He studied at the Royal Manchester College of Music where he and 4 other composer students (including Harrison Birtwistle and Peter Maxwell Davies) formed New Music Manchester. Ogdon had the most success as a pianist, winning first prize at the London Liszt Competition in 1961 first prize again at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1962. He wrote over 200 pieces of music, including 4 operas, 2 large pieces for orchestra and a large volume of chamber and solo piano music.