"A wonderful occasion with a super instrument."
Henri Sigfridsson
Not later than his winning the Beethoven Competition in Bonn 2005 it has been clear that Henri Sigfridsson is considered one of the most impressive pianists of the younger generation. Already with second prize and the Public's Prize at the Concours Geza Anda 2000 it was clear what musical potential was imbued in the Finn born in 1974. Even before these distinctions Sigfridsson had participated successfully in many competions: In 1994 he received first prize at the International Franz Liszt Competition in Weimar, in 1995 first prize at the great Skandinavian competition The Nordic Soloist Competition. Sigfridsson studied at a conservatory in the Finnish city of Turku and at the Sibelius Akademy in Helsinki. He perfected his art with Pavel Gililov in Cologne and Lazar Berman in Weimar.
As a soloist, Henri Sigfridsson participated in orchestral concerts with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Weimarer Staatskapelle, the RSO Helsinki, the Camerata Salzburg and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra played under conductors such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Lawrence Foster, Sakari Oramo, Alexander Lazarev, Georg Alexander Albrecht, Volker Schmidt-Gertenbach and Dennis Russell Davies. He has been regularly invited to Japan since 2000. In the field of chamber music, Sigfridsson has worked with Gidon Kremer, Ivry Gitlis, Mischa Maisky, Leonidas Kavakos, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Sol Gabetta and Johannes Moser, among others.
Henri Sigfridsson released various CD recordings, including F. X. Mozart piano concertos on the Swiss label Novalis, Sibelius piano works and Rachmaninov piano concertos nos. 2 and 3 on Hänssler Classic.
From 2008 to 2009 hold a professorship for piano music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and from 2010 to 2011 at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin. Since April 2011, works as a professor of piano at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen.
Fotos © Marco Borggreve
