Birth

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1981 in Lausanne, Switzerland

 

Gilles Vonsattel is a Swiss-American classical pianist who has gained international recognition for his virtuosic performances and insightful interpretations of a wide range of repertoire. Born in 1978 in Lausanne, Switzerland, Vonsattel began playing the piano at the age of four and showed exceptional talent from an early age. Vonsattel's musical education began at the Lausanne Conservatory, where he studied with Catherine Courvoisier. He later continued his studies at the Geneva Conservatory with Maria João Pires and at the Juilliard School in New York with Jerome Lowenthal. He also received guidance from renowned pianists such as Murray Perahia, András Schiff, and Leon Fleisher. Vonsattel's career as a concert pianist began to take off in the early 2000s, when he won several prestigious competitions, including the Naumburg International Piano Competition in 2002 and the Geneva International Music Competition in 2006. These victories helped to establish him as a rising star in the classical music world and led to numerous performance opportunities around the globe. One of Vonsattel's most notable performances came in 2008, when he made his debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the baton of James Levine. He performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 to critical acclaim, with the Boston Globe praising his "crisp, clear articulation and a sense of rhythmic vitality that made the music dance." Since then, Vonsattel has performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also collaborated with renowned conductors such as Alan Gilbert, David Robertson, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. In addition to his work as a soloist, Vonsattel is also an active chamber musician. He has performed with many of the world's leading ensembles, including the Emerson String Quartet, the Pacifica Quartet, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He is a founding member of the Trio Cavatina, which has been praised for its "exquisite sensitivity and precision" by the New York Times. Vonsattel's repertoire is wide-ranging and includes works by composers from Bach to Ligeti. He has a particular affinity for the music of Beethoven, and has performed all of the composer's piano sonatas in a series of concerts at the 92nd Street Y in New York. He has also recorded several albums, including a critically acclaimed disc of works by Schubert and a recording of the complete piano music of György Ligeti. In addition to his performing career, Vonsattel is also an accomplished educator. He has taught at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Longy School of Music, and is currently on the faculty of the Juilliard School. He is known for his thoughtful and insightful approach to teaching, and has mentored many young pianists who have gone on to successful careers in music. Throughout his career, Vonsattel has received numerous awards and accolades for his performances and recordings. In addition to his competition victories, he has been awarded the Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award, and the Prix Credit Suisse Jeunes Solistes. He was also named a 2018 recipient of the prestigious Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, which provides support and guidance to exceptional young musicians. Despite his many accomplishments, Vonsattel remains humble and dedicated to his craft.

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