Biography

Tim Rumsey is a tenacious, dynamic young artist with a passion for a wide variety of music.  He is an experienced concert soloist and recording artist, as well as an active an passionate chamber musician.  Delighting audiences large and small, Tim has played at UK venues including the Wigmore Hall, Chichester Cathedral, Champs Hill, and the V&A Museum, as well as appearances in Italy and Spain.

Tim recently recorded his debut solo album with Luminate records in July 2024, which is due for release throughout the second half of 2025.  The album showcases Tim's love of piano transcription, featuring a wide variety arrangements with everything from Percy Grainger's take on Faure, to Earl Wild's take on Gershwin.  The album also features four new transcriptions by Tim himself, with works by Purcell, Dukas, Gershwin and Walton.

Recent notable performances include a concerto appearance playing Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto with the Chichester Symphony Orchestra in Chichester Cathedral, and solo recitals at the the Pitville Pump Room in Cheltenham, St. Bride's Church in London, University Church, Oxford, Champs Hill (Sussex) and the Faversham Music Club.  In addition to being a competent soloist, Tim is a keen and versatile accompanist, duo partner and chamber musician, regularly performing with friends and collaborating with string and wind players in particular.  In the summer of 2025, Tim was the official accompanist at the International Music Course in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. 

As well as piano transcriptions, Tim also arranges for chamber settings with a recent major project being George Gershwin's 'An American in Paris' for violin, clarinet and piano. His original compositions tend to take on a modern, post-impressionist classical style often using his Sussex rootes as an inspiration, as well as composing jazz-influenced works which he often performs himself at the keyboard.

Tim took part in the 2023 Pordenone Silent Film Festival in Italy and played a feature-length 1920s film by Harry Piel to a full audience in the famous Teatro Verdi.  Being an experienced improvisor in a wide variety of styles, Tim also plays for the Kennington Bioscope at the Cinema Museum in London for their weekend festivals.  Jazz is an equal love for Tim and he really enjoys playing solo piano sets for events and functions around London as well as his native Sussex.  

Teaching takes up lots of Tim's time, both privately and in schools, which he enjoys greatly and finds extremely fulfilling.  Tim teaches at the prestigious St. Catherine's school in Bramley, as well as teaching and accompanying both soloists and choirs at the Junior & Primary Departments of the Royal Academy of Music.  Tim also has over five years experience as a ballet pianist having played at the ABC Ballet School in London, as well as the English National Ballet School Summer Intensive Courses.

Tim accompanies two choirs in Chichester on a weekly basis - including playing at Chichester Festival Theatre - and has ample experience as a stand in accompanist for other local choirs.

Tim's interest in music unsurprisingly started at a young age, and he progressed from having music lessons locally to studying at the Junior Department at the Royal Academy of Music, aged 13.  He went on to study at the Academy full time in 2017, completing his Bachelor’s degree with First Class Honours in July 2021, studying with Carole Presland.  Being the Wisniewski/Derwent scholar for his Master of Arts degree under the guidance of his professor Colin Stone from 2021-23, Tim graduated with the the additional award of Diploma of the Royal Academy of Music (DipRAM) due to his high performance and attainment.  Tim also gained the Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music teaching qualification in the Summer of 2021.