Rafal Blechacz

Since winning the 15th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2005, Rafał Blechacz has established himself as one of the preeminent pianists of his generation and is widely recognised as the finest interpreter of Chopin's works today. The Polish pianist is widely acclaimed by audiences and critics across the globe for his profound and virtuosic interpretations. In 2014, he was honoured with the prestigious Gilmore Artist Award, a distinguished prize presented every four years to an extraordinary concert artist, irrespective of age or nationality. Rafał Blechacz has performed with leading orchestras including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the hr-Sinfonieorchester Frankfurt, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, the Camerata Salzburg, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestra dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. Blechacz has appeared in recital at some of the most prestigious venues worldwide, such as the Berlin Philharmonie, the Munich’s Prinzregententheater, the Dortmund’s Konzerthaus, the Salle Pleyel in Paris, the Wigmore Hall in London, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Vienna Konzerthaus, and the BOZAR - Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, alongside concerts throughout the USA and Asia. The 2024/2025 season opens for him with the Hamburg State Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kent Nagano, succeeded by performances with the SWR Symphony Orchestra, the NDR Elbphilharmonie, the Sinfonia Varsovia, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo and the Bavarian Radio Chamber Orchestra. His solo recital engagements have brought him to Milan, Geneva, Berlin and Paris, in addition to extensive touring throughout Japan and China. His chamber music activities centre on his duo collaboration with Bomsori. As an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist, Blechacz’s debut recording of Chopin’s Préludes achieved Platinum status in Poland and garnered the ECHO Klassik Award in Germany and the Diapason d'Or in France. His Chopin piano concertos with the Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Jerzy Semkow earned the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik. In 2012, his recording of Debussy and Szymanowski works was recognised as ‘Recording of the Month’ by Gramophone and ‘Solo Recording of the Year’ by ECHO Klassik. Other albums featuring Chopin’s Polonaises and works by Bach, as well as his duo album with violinist Bomsori, have delighted listeners and critics alike in recent years. Blechacz’s most recent recording was released in March 2023. Dedicated once again to Frédéric Chopin, this album reflects his enduring commitment to the composer who shaped his career more than any other. Born in 1985, Blechacz began studying piano at five and progressed through the Arthur Rubinstein State Music School in Bydgoszcz. He graduated in 2007 from the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music under the tutelage of Professor Katarzyna Popowa-Zydroń. In 2016, he obtained a doctorate in music philosophy.