Since making his London debut in 2009, Mahan Esfahani has established himself as the first harpsichordist in a generation whose work spans virtually all areas of classical music-making from critically-acclaimed performances and recordings of the standard repertoire to working with the leading composers of the day to pioneering concerto appearances with major symphony orchestras on four continents. He was the first and only harpsichordist to be a BBC New Generation Artist (2008-2010), a Borletti-Buitoni prize winner (2009), and a nominee for Gramophone’s Artist of the Year (2014, 2015, 2017.

As a concerto soloist he has performed with major symphony and chamber orchestras and contemporary music ensembles. He also varies his solo engagements with meaningful chamber music partnerships alongside artists such as Antje Weithaas (violin), Emmanuel Pahud (flute), among others.

Esfahani’s work with new and modern music is particularly acclaimed, with high-profile solo and concertante commissions from composers such as George Lewis, Brett Dean, Bent Sørensen and other contemporary voices. His commitment to exploring the contemporary voice for the harpsichord is reflected in his 2020 Hyperion release ‘Musique?’ – a compilation of electronic and acoustic works including the modern revival of Luc Ferrari’s 1974 Programme commun for harpsichord and tape. In recognition of his contributions to the classical music field, Mahan Esfahani was awarded the 2022 Wigmore Hall Prize.

His richly-varied discography for Hyperion and Deutsch Grammophon – including an ongoing series of the complete works of Bach for the former – has been acclaimed in the press with a Gramophone award, two BBC Music Magazine Awards, a Diapason d’Or, ‘Choc de Classica,’ an ICMA, as well as numerous Editor’s Choices including a spot in the Telegraph’s compilation of essential classical music and the New York Times List of Top Recordings. 

He can be frequently heard as a commentator on BBC Radio 3 and Radio, including a BBC Sunday Feature radio documentary highlighting such subjects as the early history of African-American composers and the development of orchestral music in Azerbaijan.

Born in Tehran, Esfahani grew up in the United States and studied musicology and history at Stanford University and worked in Boston with Peter Watchorn before completing his studies in Prague with the celebrated Czech harpsichordist Zuzana Růžičková. He now makes his home in Prague. 

Website: https://www.mahanesfahani.com/