In this concert series presented by Chamber Music New Zealand, Michael Houstoun plays Beethoven's last three piano sonatas in one programme. In this concert series presented by Chamber Music New Zealand, Michael Houstoun plays Beethoven's last three piano sonatas in one programme.Chronicling Beethoven's life as pianist, composer and all too fallible human being, these 32 sonatas are the greatest body of work ever written for the piano. Beethoven wrote them for himself as a pianist and as a challenge to the quickly evolving pianoforte and those who played it.

As New Zealand's most revered pianist, it is only fitting that Michael Houstoun takes on this challenge.

Since his teens, Michael Houstoun has been a household name in New Zealand. He won every significant prize for pianists in the country by the age of 18. He went on to win three of the world's most distinguished piano competitions: Van Cliburn (1973), Leeds Piano (1975), and the Tchaikovsky Competition (1982) in the process he acquired an unprecedented and as yet unmatched record in international competition by a New Zealand pianist.

Building on this success, he spent time in London and American performing on some of the most prestigious world stages. A Kiwi boy at heart, in 1981 Houstoun made the decision to return to New Zealand and devote his life to music in his native land.

His large and ever-expanding repertoire includes many world premieres of New Zealand composers alongside the traditional piano repertoire.

His restless creativity and constant seeking of new challenges has seen Houstoun most recently perform with jazz pianist Mike Nock.

Find out more about Michael Houstoun's May 2007 tour.