When reviewing Marios Papadopoulos’ piano recital debut in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in 1975, the London Times critic Bryce Morrison wrote “In embryonic form, Papadopoulos has all the attributes of one of the world’s greatest players”. Judging by the critical acclaim his recitals and recordings have received ever since, Papadopoulos’ position amongst the great pianists of today is now widely recognised. His recordings of the Beethoven Sonatas have been set on a level with Schnabel, Brendel, Barenboim, and Kempff (Daily Telegraph and Classic  FM Magazine Critics’ Choice). 

Since his London debut, Papadopoulos’ career as pianist and conductor has been world-wide. He has appeared as soloist with, and has conducted many of the world’s great orchestras including the Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus, the European Community Chamber Orchestra, the London Mozart Players and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1998, he founded Oxford Philomusica, the Orchestra in Residence at the University of Oxford, of which he is Music Director. As part of the world-wide celebrations for the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth in 2006, he directed from the keyboard the complete cycle of all the Mozart Concertos in seven concerts with Oxford Philomusica at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford. In a three-week Beethoven Festival in 2008, he conducted the complete cycle of all the Beethoven Symphonies and directed from the keyboard the five piano concertos in six concerts to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Oxford Philomusica. 

Apart from the complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas which Marios Papadopoulos is currently recording, his prolific output as a recording artist includes performances of Stravinsky’s Concerto for piano and wind with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on the Hyperion label, works by Mozart for a Readers’ Digest album, works by Moussorgsky – including Pictures at an Exhibition – piano works by César Franck and the 24 Preludes and Fugues by Shostakovich. Most of his recordings are now available on the Oxford Philomusica record label.

Marios Papadopoulos holds a doctorate in music from City University and he is a member of the Oxford University Faculty of Music and a Fellow by Special Election of Keble College Oxford. In 2010 he was Honorary Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Musicians.