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Stephen Hough – pianist

Stephen Hough combines a distinguished career as a pianist extraordinaire, composer, writer, poet and painter. Named by ‘The Economist’ as one of 20 Living Polymaths. Stephen has earned a multitude of worldwide accolades, awards and honours. He was the first classical performer to be awarded a MacArthur Fellowship and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year’s Honours 2014. He is a regular guest at festivals and regularly performs with the most eminent orchestras and musicians around the world.

What has creating art meant to you over the last year?

Playing the piano is sounds in the air, writing music or words is marks on a page, but painting is dirty, physical, earthy – and tangible/present. I can look at what I’ve done and show it to someone. It exists. And it can be destroyed … gone for ever.

I think with abstract art in particular it’s never finished. That’s one of its fascinations. It’s an improvisation like jazz. When is a riff or a solo finished?