Through his recitals, concerto appearances and critically acclaimed recordings, O'Conor has earned a reputation as a masterful interpreter of the Classic and Early Romantic piano repertoires. O'Conor's early studies began in Dublin where his main piano teacher was Dr J.J. O'Reilly. He was awarded an Austrian Government scholarship that enabled him to study in Vienna with the renowned pedagogue Dieter Weber. He also made a special study of Beethoven with the legendary German pianist Wilhelm Kempff. In 1973, John O'Conor was unanimously awarded First Prize at the International Beethoven Piano Competition in Vienna and in 1975 he won First Prize at the Bösendorfer Competition. O'Conor also continues to make significant contributions to the arts in his native country and has championed the works of Ireland's leading 19th century composer, John Field. He has become a key figure in the development of young artists through his role as Director of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and was a co-founder of the Dublin International Piano Competition of which he is Artistic Director and Chairman of the Jury. He also appears frequently with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland (and was soloist with them on their inaugural tour of the US in 2004) and with the Irish Chamber Orchestra. Since 1997 he has taken on the mantle of his revered professor Wilhelm Kempff and gives the annual Beethoven Interpretation Course in Kempff's own villa in Positano, Italy where Kempff gave the course from 1957. For his services to music, O’Conor has been decorated with the title Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government, has been awarded the Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst by the Austrian Government, the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese Government and has also been decorated by the Italian and Polish governments.
