Alexis Ffrench Pianist, Composer, Producer
Born in 1970 in Surrey, England, Alexis Ffrench is a pianist, composer, producer and broadcaster whose music has been described as “classical-soul” for its melding of rigorous classical training with a modern, emotive sensibility.
From an exceptionally early age he showed musical precocity: by the age of four he was improvising on his family table (before he had a piano) and by age seven he was playing organ at his local church.
His formal training took him through the prestigious Purcell School for Young Musicians, the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he honed both his performance and compositional skills.
With a signature sound that interweaves shimmering piano-led melodies, orchestral backdrops, and contemporary production touches, Ffrench has amassed hundreds of millions of streams and achieved chart-topping albums, helping bring classical crossover into new territory.
His 2018 album Evolution and his 2020 release Dreamland both reached No. 1 on the UK Classical Charts, marking milestones in his rise.
Beyond the concert hall, Ffrench’s work extends to film and advertising: he has composed scores and original music commissions for major companies and collaborated with fashion houses, demonstrating his versatility across media.
In 2022 he released Truth, an album conceived out of personal reflection following the murder of George Floyd and addressing themes of justice, identity and hope through his characteristic piano-and-orchestra palette.
Ffrench also plays an active role in music education and institutional leadership: he serves as a Trustee and Governing Body member of the Royal Academy of Music, and was appointed the first ever Artistic Director of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) in its 132-year history.
His live performances have been global in reach: he has headlined renowned venues such as London’s Royal Albert Hall and played festivals and halls from Tokyo to New York, always bridging classical tradition with modern-day accessibility.
As a broadcaster he has held a radio show and in March 2021 became the Composer-in-Residence for Scala Radio, composing monthly pieces inspired by listeners’ personal stories—another facet of his mission to open classical music to broader audiences.
His mission has often been framed as changing perceptions of classical music: he has spoken about how the genre can learn from hip-hop and R&B in communicating deeply while reaching wider audiences, and how he wants classical music to feel inclusive and reflective of diverse backgrounds.
