John OConor Irish 2009 Jury Chairman John O`Conor is one of Ireland`s most eminent musicians. He has performed in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand and has appeared with such orchestras as the Royal Philharmonic, Czech Philharmonic, Vienna and NHK Symphonies and the orchestras of Cleveland, San Francisco, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Seattle, Montreal, Toronto, Tampa and Washington DC in North America. He also appears frequently with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland (and was soloist with them on their inaugural tour of the USA in 2004) and with the Irish Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. O`Conor has made more than 30 recordings including the complete Beethoven Sonatas and Bagatelles, Mozart Piano Concertos, numerous works by Schubert, and two volumes of short piano pieces entitled Piano Classics and Autumn Songs. An avid proponent of his fellow counrtyman John Field, he has recorded most of the composers major works including the complete Concertos, Sonatas and Nocturnes.

A First Prize winner at both the International Beethoven Piano Competition (1973) and the Bösendorfer Competition (1975), he has presided on the juries of most of the world`s most prestigious International Piano Competitions including Leeds, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Beijing, Shanghai, Munich, Busoni, Cologne, Clara Haskil, Cleveland, Gina Bachauer, Sydney, Pretoria, London, William Kapell, Jose Iturbi and Seoul. His students have won many international prizes including First Prize at the Clara Haskil, Cologne and Franz Liszt International Piano Competitions.

Mr. O`Conor continues to make significant contributions to the arts in his native country. He has become a key figure in the development of young artists through his role as Director of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and was a co-founder of the AXA Dublin International Piano Competition of which he is Artistic Director and Chairman of the Jury.

He is an Honorary Doctor of the National University of Ireland, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, has been awarded the title "Officier de l`Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" by the French Government, has been awarded the "Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst" by the Austrian Government. In July 2005 John O`Conor received an Honorary Doctorate from Ireland`s oldest university, Trinity College, Dublin.