David Helfgott (born May 19, 1947) is an Australian classical concert pianist from Melbourne. Helfgott won the state final of the ABC Instrumental and Vocal Competition. The pianist studied at the Royal College of Music in London and received the Dannreuther Prize for Best Concerto Performance for a performance of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3. The artist returned to Australia in 1970 and worked as a rehearsal pianist for the West Australian Opera. In 1996, the film Shine depicted the life and formative years of the pianist. Helfgott released the albums Rachmaninov The Last Romantic and Shine (soundtrack) in 1996. The pianist released the album Brilliantissimo in 1997. In 2004, the artist received an honorary doctorate from Edith Cowan University. Helfgott released the album Pianissimo in 2009. The pianist was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2021. The musician was diagnosed with autism in 2016. Helfgott toured Australia annually.
