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GrauSchumacher Piano Duo is a classical music duo consisting of Andreas Grau and Götz Schumacher. The duo was formed in 1997 and has since become one of the most renowned piano duos in the world. Andreas Grau was born in 1965 in Aachen, Germany. He began playing the piano at the age of six and went on to study at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln. He later studied with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. Götz Schumacher was born in 1969 in Essen, Germany. He also began playing the piano at a young age and studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln. He later studied with Aloys Kontarsky at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. The duo first met in 1986 while studying at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln. They began playing together as a duo in 1997 and quickly gained recognition for their unique sound and dynamic performances. Their repertoire includes works by classical composers such as Mozart, Schubert, and Brahms, as well as contemporary composers such as Ligeti, Stockhausen, and Xenakis. One of the duo's early highlights was their performance at the 1998 Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival. They were praised for their "virtuosity, precision, and musicality" by the festival's artistic director, Christoph Eschenbach. The duo went on to perform at many other prestigious festivals and venues, including the Salzburg Festival, the Lucerne Festival, and the Berlin Philharmonic. In 2002, the duo released their first CD, featuring works by Brahms and Schubert. The CD was well-received by critics and helped to establish the duo as a major force in the classical music world. They went on to release several more CDs, including a recording of Ligeti's complete piano music, which was awarded the Diapason d'Or in 2011. The duo has also been recognized for their innovative programming and collaborations with other artists. In 2010, they collaborated with the German artist Anselm Kiefer on a performance of Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time" at the Salzburg Festival. The performance was praised for its "powerful and moving" interpretation of the work. In addition to their performances as a duo, Grau and Schumacher are also active as soloists and chamber musicians. They have performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. Throughout their career, GrauSchumacher Piano Duo has received numerous awards and accolades. In 2005, they were awarded the Echo Klassik award for their recording of Ligeti's complete piano music. They were also awarded the German Record Critics' Award in 2011 for their recording of Brahms' "Liebeslieder Waltzes" with the vocal ensemble Singer Pur. Today, GrauSchumacher Piano Duo continues to perform and record together, captivating audiences with their unique sound and dynamic performances. They are widely regarded as one of the most important piano duos of our time, and their contributions to the classical music world are sure to be remembered for years to come.

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