Maxwell Foster is a pianist and pedagogue based in Baltimore and Brisbane.
Maxwell’s engagements for the 2023 season include joining the Bangalow Music Festival, as well as collaborating with the Brisbane-based Southern Cross Soloists throughout the remainder of this year and 2024. He has recently performed with members of the Orava Quartet and the New World Symphony, and he regularly entertains audiences in venues across the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. Other notable performances from this year include the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago and the presentation of Southern Cross Soloists’ “Maps and Journeys” at the Melbourne Recital Centre. Maxwell also dedicates much of his time to teaching. He coaches chamber music at Johns Hopkins University and maintains a large private studio, providing lessons both in-person and virtually. Holding positions at Johns Hopkins University, Artist Music Conservatory and the International School of Music, Maxwell teaches all levels of piano performance, from young beginners discovering the joys of music to advanced, college-aged students.
Originally from Brisbane, Australia, Maxwell commenced his piano studies at the age of three. After studying with Jenny Flemming at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, he relocated to Melbourne to attend the Australian National Academy of Music, where he received guidance from Rita Reichman. Throughout his time in Melbourne, Maxwell established a strong presence in the classical music community. He was the recipient of first prize at the ABC Young Performer Awards and has performed alongside every major orchestra within Australia. He has performed at venues such as Hammer Hall, the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, and Wigmore Hall.
In pursuit of his musical education, Maxwell ventured to the United States and obtained Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Juilliard School, where he studied with Seymour Lipkin and Hung-Kuan Chen. He furthered his studies by completing a Master of Musical Arts degree at Yale University and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University under the tutelage of Yong Hi Moon.