Iwan Owen enjoys a varied career as a solo pianist, accompanist and piano teacher. He has recently given solo recitals at the Harrogate International Festival and the North Wales International Music Festival and was also awarded the Dorothy Parkinson Memorial Award for Young British Musicians in 2023; previous recipients of this award include Dame Evelyn Glennie, Julian Bliss and Benjamin Grosvenor.

Iwan graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music in 2019 achieving a Master’s degree with distinction. He studied with Benjamin Frith on a full scholarship as an ABRSM Scholar and won the Piano Recital Prize in 2018. He was also awarded the Shirely Catarall Award and the Elsie Thurston Accompanist Prize.

Iwan has enjoyed success in national and international competitions; a finalist in the keyboard category at the Royal Over-Seas League Competition and has also won first prize at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod and the National Eisteddfod of Wales. He was also awarded Gregynog Young Pianist of the Year. 

Iwan has participated in masterclasses given by renowned pianists including Paul Badura-Skoda, Peter Frankl, John Perry, Nelson Goerner, Pascal Rogé, Phillippe Cassard, Michel Beroff, Vovka Ashkenazy, Kathryn Stott, David Owen Norris and Stefano Fiuzzi. He has also received chamber music coaching from Susan Tomes, Peter Cropper, Sara Bitlloch, Jeremy Young, Antonia Koster, Petr Prause, Natalie Klouda, Leonard Elschenbroich and Qian Wu.

Iwan has much experience as a collaborative pianist. He joined Ensemble Cymru in 2019, an ensemble focused on bringing chamber music to audiences in and around Wales. Iwan was also accepted on to the Live Music Now scheme in 2016. Founded by Yehudi Menuhin in 1977, the scheme provides regular performance opportunities to musicians at the beginning of their careers, with particular focus on bringing music to people who do not have the opportunity to attend concerts.

Iwan derives particular enjoyment from working on art song repertoire. He has enjoyed working closely with many of the RNCM’s vocal teachers, including Louise Winter, Sandra Dugdale, Deborah Rees, Susan Roper, Mathew Best and Peter Wilson. He was invited to perform at the Peter Warlock Society Annual Concert in 2015 and the RNCM Day of Song in 2019.

Iwan hails from Anglesey, North Wales and previously studied with Iwan Llewelyn-Jones before attending the RNCM.