Karim Said - Pianist & Conductor
Territories - General Management, Worldwide
“Karim is a consummate musician, both humble and immensely great”
“What you cannot learn, he already knows”
“Exceptionally thoughtful”
Internationally acclaimed pianist & conductor Karim Said is known for pushing the boundaries of artistic expression. Described by The Independent as a “born communicator,” Said has developed a reputation for his "rich subtlety" (Financial Times) and an "unfailingly intelligent" approach to music (BBC Music Magazine).
Said rose to international prominence in 2009 with landmark debut performances at London’s Barbican Centre under Sir Colin Davis—who described him as "a serious musician"—and at the BBC Proms with the West Eastern Divan and Daniel Barenboim. Since then, he has performed on the world’s most prestigious stages, including La Scala; Philharmonie, Berlin; Musashino Concert Hall, Tokyo; the Great Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory; Mozarteum Salzburg; Southbank Centre, London; and Carnegie Hall, New York, to name just a few.
“[T]he rich subtlety of Karim Said’s pianism”
“[A] born communicator”
As a versatile collaborative pianist, he has notably performed with Zubin Mehta (Webern’s Concerto for nine instruments) Waltraud Meier, Dorothea Röschmann, Vanessa Redgrave and Patrice Chereau.
Amongst his recording releases, his 2018 album Legacy was described as ‘exceptionally thoughtful’ by the Guardian; the album draws connections between the works of Byrd, Brahms, Schoenberg and Webern.
His latest release in 2025 featuring Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto was recorded with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Domingo Hindoyan. It received glowing reviews:
Amidst the challenges of the global pandemic, Karim returned to the Middle East, to become the Founding-Principal Conductor of the Amman Chamber Orchestra and the Principal Conductor of the National Youth Orchestra of Lebanon. Upcoming engagements in 2026 include performing and recording a complete cycle of Beethoven Concertos directed from the keyboard in Beirut with the National Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra as Artist in Residence, and a debut with Maestro John Axelrod and the Bucharest Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven’s ‘Emperor Concerto’.
Using his distinctive ability to connect with audiences through music, Said is known for pushing the boundaries of artistic expression, bridging his Levantine-Arab roots with the pinnacle of Western Classical Music. His repertoire ranges from works by contemporary Arab composers such as Naji Hakim and Hiba al Kawas, to the English Renaissance and the First and Second Viennese Schools.
Said’s musical journey began in Amman, Jordan at age five. His talent was recognized early by Daniel Barenboim, who became his mentor. After hearing Said perform at age ten, the maestro famously remarked: “What you cannot learn, he already knows.” Driven by a fascination with the sound of the orchestra, he also participated in conducting masterclasses with Bernard Haitink at the Royal College of Music, London while still a student at London’s Purcell School of Music. He was the subject of the BBC4/Allegro Films documentary Karim’s Journey, which followed his progress as a developing artist between the ages of 11 and 18.
Said has been an associate of the Royal Academy of Music (his alma mater) since 2017.
“For Said it is all about balancing dramatic intensity with graceful nobility, and, in the finale, youthful buoyancy with crystalline clarity. In its truthfulness and directness this album comes as a breath of fresh air.
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“Karim Said, an unfailingly intelligent and sensitive musician, here blends a classical feel with an appealing freshness.
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Piano
Conducting
Comfortable as a soloist, a director-player and conductor, Said is an artist of limitless possibilities and deep artistic integrity.
Karim has been an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London, since 2017.
LISTEN to his Radio 3 In Tune interview from 2025 about his Beethoven recording with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Domingo Hindoyan