Sven Birch was born in Denmark and studied piano at the DJM in Aarhus, where he graduated with a soloist diploma. Thanks to numerous scholarships, he was able to continue his studies in Vienna with Prof. Alexander Jenner. In addition, he attended masterclasses with renowned pianists such as Tatiana Nikolayeva, Conrad Hansen, John Lill, and Peter Feuchtwanger.
He also completed conducting studies with General Music Director Janos Fürst and served as his assistant at the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra in Denmark.
As a sought-after pianist, Birch possesses an extensive repertoire ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary music. He is active as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist, and composer, and has performed throughout Europe, North and South America, and Asia. Among his major projects is the performance of the complete cycle of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas.
Since 1992, Professor Sven Birch has been teaching at the Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz. From 1996 to 2004, he also taught at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg.
He is a member of the George Crumb Trio Linz, the Ensemble Nord Copenhagen, and the Georgiadis-Birch flute and piano duo. He regularly conducts concerts and projects, and he serves as the conductor and artistic director of the ensemble Lézard aux Plumes in Linz.
In addition to his work as a pianist, Birch is also active as a composer and editor of educational piano music, published by Universal Edition, Breitkopf & Härtel, Zimmermann Verlag, and Schott Music.
He is frequently invited to give masterclasses and workshops (Sibelius Academy Helsinki, Chopin Academy Warsaw, Royal Academy Manchester, as well as universities in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Riga, Tallinn, Aarhus, Rome, Milan, and Seville) and has produced numerous CD, television, and radio recordings.