Rafał Blechacz

Piano

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Biography

Since his victory in the 15th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2005 Rafał Blechacz has since established himself firmly on the international concert scene and is recognised as his generation’s greatest performer of Chopin’s works.
The Polish pianist is celebrated by both the audience and the press worldwide for his profound and virtuosic interpretations. Furthermore, he is the winner of the prestigious Gilmore Artist Award in 2014 – an award given every four years to a distinguished, extraordinary concert pianist regardless of age or nationality.

Blechacz has performed with renowned orchestras such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt, Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Camerata Salzburg, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. He gives recitals in the world’s major concert halls including Philharmonie Berlin, Prinzregententheater Munich, Konzerthaus Dortmund, Salle Pleyel in Paris, Wigmore Hall London, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Teatro alla Scala Milan, Wiener Konzerthaus and BOZAR – Palais des Beaux-Arts Brussels, as well as further afield in the USA and in Asia.
„„thrillingly direct and fiercely engaged. On a rare UK visit, the Polish pianist confirmed what an outstanding artist he is“”The Guardian, Andrew Clements
He starts the 2024/2025 season with the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra under Kent Nagano and will then appear with the SWR Symphony Orchestra, the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, the Sinfonia Varsovia, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo and the Bavarian Radio Chamber Orchestra. Solo recitals take him to Milan, Geneva, Berlin and Paris as well as on extensive tours to Japan and China. As a chamber musician, he concentrates on his duo with Bomsori Kim.

Blechacz is an exclusive recording artist of Deutsche Grammophon. His debut recording of Chopin´s Préludes won the Platinum Record status in his native Poland, as well as a German ECHO Klassik and French Diapason d’Or award. His recording of both Chopin concerti with the Concertgebouworkest under the baton of Jerzy Semkow was awarded the ‘Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik’. In 2012, his recording of works by Debussy and Szymanowski was released and awarded ‘Recording of the Month’ by the Gramophone magazine and ‘Solo Recording of the Year’ by ECHO Klassik. Further albums with polonaises by Chopin or works by Bach as well as his duo album with the violinist Bomsori have delighted listeners and the press alike in recent years. Blechacz´s latest recording was released in March 2023. With works by Frédéric Chopin, he once again dedicated this recording to the composer who shaped his career like no other.

Born in 1985, Blechacz began his studies aged five, continuing his piano education in the Arthur Rubinstein State School of Music in Bydgoszcz. In 2007, he graduated from the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, the piano class of Professor Katarzyna Popowa-Zydroń. In 2016, Rafał Blechacz received his doctorate in music philosophy.


2024 / 2025
This biography is to be reproduced without any changes, omissions or additions, unless expressly authorized by artist management.
Contact: Eleonore Wrobel

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Programme

2025 / 2026

You’ll find the current programs in the IMPRESARIUM of the 25/26 season

2024 / 2025

You’ll find the current programmes in the IMPRESARIUM of the 24/25 season

Schedule

06/10/2024
14:00 h
Kraftwerk
Peenemünde, Germany
Rafał Blechacz, Alan Gilbert, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester
30/10/2024
20:00 h
Rafał Blechacz, Martijn Dendievel, Sinfonia Varsovia
10/11/2024
11:00 h
Prinzregententheater
München, Germany
Rafał Blechacz, Radoslaw Szulc, Kammerorchester des Symphonieorchesters des Bayerischen Rundfunks
07/12/2024
Rafał Blechacz, Paavo Järvi, Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
08/12/2024
16:00 h
Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall
Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Rafał Blechacz, Paavo Järvi, Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
14/12/2024
19:00 h
Rafał Blechacz, Daishin Kashimoto
17/12/2024
19:00 h
Rafał Blechacz, Daishin Kashimoto
20/12/2024
Aichi Prefectural Arts Theatre
Nagoya, Japan
Rafał Blechacz, Daishin Kashimoto
24/01/2025
19:30 h
Centro Kursaal Elkargunea
San Sebastián, Spain
Rafał Blechacz, Łukasz Borowicz, Euskadiko orkestra
27/01/2025
19:30 h
Centro Kursaal Elkargunea
San Sebastián, Spain
Rafał Blechacz, Łukasz Borowicz, Euskadiko orkestra
28/01/2025
19:30 h

,
Rafał Blechacz, Łukasz Borowicz, Euskadiko orkestra
29/01/2025
19:30 h
Rafał Blechacz, Łukasz Borowicz, Euskadiko orkestra
11/02/2025
19:30 h
Victoria Hall
Genf, Switzerland
Rafał Blechacz
13/02/2025
20:00 h
Rafał Blechacz

Discography

Musical Moments
Claude Debussy
La fille aux cheveux de lin

Kim Bomsori - violin

Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 35
Nocturnes, Op. 48
Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58
Barcarolle in F-Sharp Major, Op. 60

Musical Moments
Frédéric Chopin
Nocturnes, Op. 9: No. 2 in E Flat Major
(Transcr. Sarasate for Violin and Piano)

Kim Bomsori - violin

Musical Moments
Franz Liszt
Consolations, S. 172: III. Lento placido in D Flat Major
(Transcr. Milstein for Violin and Piano)

Kim Bomsori - violin

Fauré - Debussy - Szymanowski - Chopin
Gabriel Fauré
Sonata No. 1 in A major for violin and piano, op. 13


Claude Debussy
Sonata in G minor for violin and piano (1917), L.148 / * L.140


Karol Szymanowski
Sonata in d minor for violin and piano, op. 9


Frédéric Chopin
Nocturne No. 20 in C sharp minor (1830), arr. by Milstein

Kim Bomsori - violin

Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Italian Concerto
Partita Nos. 1 & 3
4 Duets BWV 802–805
Fantasia & Fugue In A Minor BWV 944
Jesus, Joy Of Man’s Desiring

Chopin: Polonaises
Frédéric Chopin
Polonaises Nos. 1 – 7

Debussy - Szymanowski
Claude Debussy
Pour le piano
Estampes
L’Isle joyeuse



Karol Szymanowski
Prelude and Fugue in C sharp minor
Sonata op. 8

Videos

Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor op. 58: II. Scherzo. Molto vivace
Chopin: Mazurka Op. 6 No. 1

Contact

Eleonore Wrobel
Head of Operations
t: +49 (0)30 414 781 725