An outstanding soloist as well as a fine chamber musician, Alexandre Tharaud has dedicated much of his time to French music and received critical acclaim, resulting in invitations for performances internationally. His recording of Ravel’s complete works for solo piano including two world première recordings was greeted with the best awards from the French press (Grand Prix de l’Académie Charles – Cros 2003, Diapason d’Or de l’Année, CHOC du Monde de la Musique, Recommandé de Classica and 10 de Répertoire). Prior to the Ravel recording, Alexandre recorded a selection of Schubert’s four-hand piano pieces with Zhu Xiao-Mei followed by a CD dedicated to Argentinan composer Mauricio Kagel. Alexandre’s concert schedule has resulted in challenging projects such as performances of Kagel’s music at the Cité de la Musique and for the ‘Octobre en Normandie’ festival, commissions to young composers for a ‘Hommage à Rameau’ solo programme which he regularly performs all over Europe (Prague, Madrid, Utrecht festival, Bern’s MeisterZyklus series), solo recitals at the Théâtre du Châtelet, ‘Piano aux Jacobins’ and La Roque d’Anthéron festival. Alexandre has also appeared at the BBC Proms, Schleswig-Holstein festival, Bamberger Konzerthalle As a soloist, Alexandre has appeared with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France, Orchestre National de France, Orchestre National de Lille, Orchestre National de Bordeaux-Aquitaine, Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia Varsovia under the baton of Yutaka Sado, Jean Fournet, Marc Minkowski, Stéphane Denève, Jean-Jacques Kantorow and Georges Prêtre.
Alexandre Tharaud graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris and started his international career in earnest when he won the second prize at the ARD Competition in Munich. Alexandre was the musical advisor at the French National Library for a “French Mélodie” concert series. He has also devised a programme dedicated to Satie (performed with an actor and a singer) which gave its third series of performances at the Philharmonie in Brussels in a co-production with the Théâtre du Rideau. Alexandre is also an accomplished chamber music partner, in particular with Ronald Van Spaendonck with whom he has recently toured Ireland, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Parisii Quartet, Lawrence Power and singers such as Sandrine Piau, Ingrid Perruche and Gaëlle Le Roi.