Biography
Elias Ackerley was born in Shrewsbury, England in 2001, began his piano studies at the age of five in South Korea after relocating there with his family. Showing exceptional musical promise from an early age, he was accepted at eight into the studio of Russian pianist Oleg Shitin, under whose guidance he achieved early success, including winning the Junior Prize at the Gumi National Piano Competition in 2012.
After returning to the United Kingdom later that year, Elias gave his debut recital in Chester in 2013 at the age of eleven and has since appeared regularly in concert throughout the UK as both a recitalist and orchestral soloist. From 2014 to 2019 he studied at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester with Dr. Murray McLachlan, Head of Keyboard. During this period he established himself as one of the leading young pianists of his generation, becoming the youngest-ever winner of the Manchester Beethoven Competition in 2015. Further distinctions followed, including First Prize at the Scottish International Youth Piano Competition (2017), the Blue Ribbon at the National Eisteddfod of Wales (2017), and First Prize at the EPTA UK Piano Competition (2018). In 2018 he was selected as a keyboard finalist in BBC Young Musician of the Year and was awarded Second Prize in Category A at the Roma International Piano Competition.
In 2019, Elias was admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Gary Graffman and Meng-Chieh Liu and worked additionally with Yefim Bronfman. During his time at Curtis, he continued to gain international recognition, becoming a priweenner at the 2023 Aarhus International Piano Competition in Denmark and a finalist at the 2024 Montreal International Piano Competition.
Following his graduation from Curtis, Elias was accepted into The Juilliard School, where he is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree under Robert McDonald.
His recent competition achievements include First Prize at the 2025 International Piano Island Competition, followed by Second Prize at the prestigious ARD International Music Competition. In recognition of these successes, he was awarded the Osnabrück Music Prize and made his debut with the Osnabrück Symphony Orchestra.
An active international performer, Elias was selected for the Kumho Young Artist Concert Series in Seoul, where he gave his debut recital at the Kumho Art Center in 2022 and was subsequently invited to return for the opening concert the following season. He has since appeared in major venues across South Korea, including performances in Seoul, Daejeon, and Busan’s F1963 cultural complex. In October 2024, supported by the Keyboard Charitable Trust, he undertook a recital tour of the United States with performances in Virginia, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Philadelphia, and New York.
Elias has participated in masterclasses with distinguished artists including Sir András Schiff, Stephen Hough, and Richard Goode, and has also worked with Lesley Howard and Boris Berman. From 2019 to 2023, he was supported by the Dr. K. R. Weir legacy through the Keyboard Charitable Trust, London.