BIOGRAPHY
Since graduating from the Royal College of Music, Martin Cousin has appeared regularly in the major British venues , making his London solo debut at the Purcell Room in 1998. Numerous solo recitals followed, most notably at the Wigmore Hall in 2001, 2005, and 2011 and he has appeared as concerto soloist with the London Philharmonic, Halle, Royal Philharmonic, Philharmonia and BBC Concert Orchestras.
Martin enjoys a regular concert schedule in the UK and Europe. Previous tours have included New Zealand, Japan and the US. The 24/25 season featured solo performances at Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Casa Da Música (Porto), Luxembourg Philharmonie and Dortmund Konzerthaus.
'In every way, an impressive disc'
~Gramophone
2006 saw the release of his debut recording, Rachmaninov's Sonata No.1 and Morceaux de Salon with SOMM Recordings, which was selected as Classical CD of the week by the Daily Telegraph. The US magazine Fanfare added, 'This is the performance of the 1st Sonata that I have always heard in my head but never thought I'd actually get to hear with my ears. This guy's the Real Deal!'
Martin's second disc for SOMM, featuring the Glazunov Piano Sonatas, was released in 2010 with Gramophone stating that this is ‘in every way, an impressive disc.’
His 3rd disc for SOMM of Rachmaninov’s Etudes-Tableaux was released in 2014 and was proclaimed ‘a landmark recording’ by the Observer with a 5-star review. Classical Source added, ‘This is one of the best solo piano records I have heard for a very long time – the more so considering it faces some pretty severe competition in the catalogues. Those who do not know these extraordinarily original masterpieces are strongly advised to acquire this disc. There is none better’.
Fanfare Magazine proclaimed, ‘Based on the present disc and on the towering performance of the First Sonata on his debut CD, I am prepared to state that Cousin is among the most distinguished Rachmaninoff pianists of our generation.’
'a landmark recording'
~THE OBSERVER
'This is one of the best solo piano records I have heard for a very long time – the more so considering it faces some pretty severe competition in the catalogues. Those who do not know these extraordinarily original masterpieces are strongly advised to acquire this disc. There is none better’.
~CLASSICAL SOURCE
Based on the present disc and on the towering performance of the First Sonata on his debut CD, I am prepared to state that Cousin is among the most distinguished Rachmaninoff pianists of our generation.’
~FANFARE MAGAZINE
2 discs of Rubinstein’s piano music were released by Naxos in 2023, gaining 5 stars in MUSICA Magazine and 5 tuning forks from Diapason.
Following this, 2 discs of Liszt’s solo piano transcriptions were also released by Naxos in 2024, gaining 5 stars from Ritmo magazine - ‘to be able to play Liszt’s piano music you have to be as virtuosic as he was, a requirement at which Martin Cousin excels’ and American Record Guide remarking that ‘Cousin’s voice shines like a jewel’.
His 2025 disc for Convivium Records of Fantasias for Piano was met with widespread acclaim, with MusicWeb International remarking ‘Cousin’s immense ability is just a given and that puts the focus squarely on the music and him in our debt.’ Musical Opinion also stated that ‘this disc is thoroughly recommended.’
Martin’s recordings of the final 2 discs in Scarlatti’s Complete Keyboard Sonatas series for Naxos will be released in 2025 and 2026.
Martin is a member of the Aquinas Piano Trio and his hands were featured on the big screen in the Oscar-winning film Shine, for the scenes involving Rachmaninov's 3rd Concerto.
'Martin Cousin… a master in the art of the tapered phrase, the dying fall and the precisely weighted texture'
~THE TIMES
'Cousin’s playing is impressively pitched on a grand scale here, but his delicacy of touch is equally beguiling both in the sonatas, and in the delightful Lyadov and Arensky miniatures'
~THE DAILY TELEGRAPH