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Hélène Grimaud
"The French pianist Hélène Grimaud clearly feels the music she performs very deeply, as is evidenced by her transported facial expressions whenever she plays ... [She] lacks nothing in power, intensity or technical fitnesse...one encounters a sense of fantasy..." Classical FM
Hélène Grimaud moved to Paris at a young age to study at Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique. 1987 was for her a landmark year, winning the Cannes Classical Award at MIDEM prompting Barenboim to invite her to audition for him. A string of high profile engagements followed, including debut recitals at La Roque d’Anthéron Piano Festival and in Tokyo.
Hélène Grimaud performs regularly in leading music centres and throughout the world with ensembles such as the Philharmonia, NHK Symphony and Munich Philharmonic orchestras. She continues to appear throughout the US with ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Chicago, San Francisco and Washington National Symphony orchestras.
Frequently working with the highest calibre conductors including Chailly, Gergiev, Haitink, Masur, Sanderling, Temirkanov and Zinman, and soloist at the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms in September 2008, Ms Grimaud’s engagements this season include tours with Jurowski with both the London Philharmonic and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe; with Harding and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra; and with Jordan and the Orchestra della Scala in Milan. Spring 2009 sees her directing from the keyboard in performances around Europe of the Bach D minor Piano Concerto and Janáček’s Concertino with the Bayerische Rundfunk Chamber Orchestra.
An enthusiastic chamber musician and recitalist, Ms Grimaud performs regularly with artists such as Thomas Quasthoff, Jörg Widmann, Christine Schaefer and Renaud Capuçon. In Spring 2009 she embarks on a European tour of trio concerts with Lisa Batiashvilli and Truls Mork.
A prolific recording artist, in 2002 Hélène Grimaud signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon, for whom she recently recorded a Bach disc incorporating solo works, transcriptions and the D minor Concerto, in which she directed the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen from the keyboard. Previous DG recordings include Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto with Staatskapelle Dresden and Jurowski, Reflection, featuring works by Brahms and Robert and Clara Schumann, Credo (works by Beethoven and Pärt performed with the Swedish Radio Orchestra and Salonen), a Chopin/Rachmaninov recital disc and Bartók’s Piano Concerto No 3 with the London Symphony Orchestra and Boulez.
Hélène Grimaud is making her Leeds International Concert Season debut.
