About Adam
Adam McMillan is a Brisbane-born, Melbourne-based pianist, performing regularly as a recitalist, chamber musician, and concerto soloist. He has received awards including first prize in the MRC Great Romantics Competition, the Musica Viva Chamber Music Prize and first prize in the Queensland Piano Competition. Adam is a member of Ensemble CANE, alongside flutist Eliza Shephard, saxophonist Niels Bijl, and composer/director Christopher Healey.
Performance highlights include duet recitals with Garrick Ohlsson for Musica Viva, Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto with Bendigo Symphony Orchestra, March of the Women, the Australian Showcase at the Sydney International Piano Competition, Huon Music Festival, Australian Digital Concert Hall, Musica Viva Morning Masters series, Peninsula Summer Music Festival, Brisbane Baroque Festival, Canberra International Music Festival, and the Australian Piano Duo Festival. Adam’s performances have been broadcast on ABC Classic FM, 3MBS, 4MBS, and internationally.
Adam studied at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) with Timothy Young. Prior to studying at ANAM, he attained a Bachelor of Music under the tutelage of Jenni Flemming at the Queensland Conservatorium, where he was a recipient of the Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship, and graduated with First Class Honours and a University Medal. During his studies, Adam also received guidance in masterclasses and lessons from distinguished pianists such as Sir András Schiff, Dame Imogen Cooper, Sir Stephen Hough, and Daniil Trifonov. From 2018-2019, he was the recipient of the Margaret Schofield and Mel & Nina Waters scholarships with Melba Opera Trust.
Outside of music, Adam enjoys pursuing his diverse interests; he has completed a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) at Deakin University and is near completion of a Master of Information Technology at the University of Melbourne, where he was included on the Dean’s Honours List for 2025.
For enquiries please send an email to: hello [at] adammcmillan [dot] com [dot] au
Adam is also available to teach select students (in Melbourne and online). Enquiry by email.
Adam performs Ravel's Ondine at Sydney International Piano Competition, Australian Showcase (2016)
Reviews
"…I have heard this brilliant, and famously difficult, work [Chopin’s Second Scherzo] played on many occasions but never have I heard it played better. Adam’s fingers seem to glide over the keyboard and there is a keen depth of feeling."
"Pianist Adam McMillan’s virtuoso performance of Rachmaninoff’s complex Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, Op 30 stunned the audience with conductor Luke Severn providing the perfect conduit between pianist and orchestra… The applause was so overwhelming – the audience got to their feet – that it didn’t stop until the pianist said he would play an encore."
"…Cesar Franck’s late 19th century ‘Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major’ was a true ‘tour de force’ by both musicians on stage. One could almost see the smoke coming off each instrument!"
"…a thoroughly mature reading with some wonderful light and shade, a lightness of touch perfectly suited to the time and style of this composition [Beethoven Sonata op. 2 no. 3] and excellent control of the dynamics…"
Adam performs Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto no. 3 (2022)
Adam performs Chopin's Barcarolle in F-sharp at Cygnet, Kyneton (2020)
Adam performs Szymanowski's Métopes: Mvt II Calypso (2017)
Adam performs Ginastera's Danzas Argentinas: III Danza del gaucho matrero (2017)
Adam performs Franck with Kyla Matsuura-Miller at Melbourne Recital Centre (2017)
Adam performs Rachmaninoff's Sonata no. 2 in b-flat minor (2014)
Adam performs Scriabin's Sonata no. 2 in g-sharp minor (2014)
Adam performs Ravel's Jeux D'eau (2014)
Photo credit: Mireia Martin 2024
Adam and Garrick Ohlsson post duet performance for Musica Viva (2023)
Adam performing a Chopin recital on Australian Digital Concert Hall (2022)
Adam performs Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 3 with Bendigo Symphony conducted by Luke Severn (2022)
Adam performs a solo recital of Britten, Barber, L. Boulanger, Chopin, and Ravel
Adam performs Schumann Quartet with Calia Quartet, at Tempo Rubato (2021)
Adam performs Schumann Quartet with Calia Quartet, at Melbourne Recital Centre (2021)
Adam performs with panSonus and Kyla Matsuura-Miller at Tempo Rubato (2019)
Adam rehearses with Kyla-Matsuura Miller at Peninsula Summer Music Festival (2018)
Adam performs Chopin 24 Preludes at Cygnet, Kyneton (2018)
Adam and Kyla first place at Great Romantics Competition, Melbourne Recital Centre (2017)
Adam performing Mozart with Anthony Marwood and Jonathan Békés (2017)
Adam performing Margaret Sutherland with Paul Dean (2017)