Birth

:

1974 in Turku, Finland

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Vocal

 

Henri Sigfridsson is a Finnish classical pianist who has gained international recognition for his virtuosic performances and sensitive interpretations of a wide range of repertoire. Born on May 23, 1974, in Helsinki, Finland, Sigfridsson showed an early aptitude for music and began piano lessons at the age of five. He studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Liisa Pohjola and later with Aquiles Delle Vigne at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hanover, Germany. Sigfridsson's career as a concert pianist began to take off in the late 1990s, when he won several major international competitions. In 1997, he won first prize at the Nordic Piano Competition in Malmö, Sweden, and the following year he won the prestigious International Edvard Grieg Piano Competition in Bergen, Norway. These victories brought him to the attention of concert promoters and record labels, and he began to perform extensively throughout Europe and Asia. One of Sigfridsson's most notable performances took place in 2000, when he played Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Leif Segerstam. The performance was hailed by critics as a triumph, with one reviewer writing that Sigfridsson "played with a combination of technical brilliance and emotional depth that left the audience spellbound." Sigfridsson has also been recognized for his interpretations of the music of Jean Sibelius, one of Finland's most celebrated composers. In 2003, he recorded a critically acclaimed album of Sibelius's piano music for the Ondine label, which included the composer's only completed piano sonata as well as several shorter works. The album was praised for its "clarity, sensitivity, and intelligence" by Gramophone magazine. In addition to his solo performances, Sigfridsson has collaborated with many of the world's leading orchestras and conductors. He has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, among others. He has also worked with conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Paavo Järvi. Sigfridsson's awards and honors include the Pro Finlandia Medal, which he received in 2006 in recognition of his contributions to Finnish culture, and the Finnish State Prize for Music, which he was awarded in 2011. He has also been a professor of piano at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hanover since 2009. Despite his many accomplishments, Sigfridsson remains committed to exploring new repertoire and pushing the boundaries of his art. In a 2018 interview with the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, he said, "I'm always looking for new challenges and new ways to express myself through music. That's what keeps me motivated and inspired." Today, Henri Sigfridsson is widely regarded as one of the most talented and versatile pianists of his generation. His recordings and performances continue to captivate audiences around the world, and his dedication to his craft serves as an inspiration to aspiring musicians everywhere.

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