June 4, 2012.Beatrice Berrut.One of the first pieces that Ms. Berrut uploaded to Classical Connect was Schumann’s Piano Sonata no. 1.Schumann was just 23 when he composed what he called Grosse Sonate ("Grand Sonata").Schumann had at the time already written a number of great pieces, from Papillons to Toccata in C Major to Carnaval, but clearly he still wanted to write a serious, classical piece (perhaps to impress his bride, the young virtuoso Clara Wieck).Beatrice was the same age of 23 when she recorded the sonata in 2009.What impresses the listener in this recording is the depth, the seriousness of it, something you may not expect from a young performer.This is the hallmark of Ms. Berrut’s art.Whether she plays her beloved Schumann (she recorded all three piano sonatas for Centaur Records), Chopin, Brahms, or Scriabin, she digs deep into the music to uncover the essence and bring it to the listener.The great violinist Gidon Kremer recognized this quality when he described Beatrice as “a wonderfully talented and musical pianist, with impressive seriousness, commitment and sensitivity.”
Beatrice was born in the Swiss canton of Valais, and started the piano rather late, at the age of 9, first in Lausanne with Pierre Goy (paino) and Pierre Amoyal (chamber music), and then at the Neuhaus Foundation in Zurich under renowned pianist Esther Yellin, a pupil of Henrich Neuhaus.She then graduated from the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, where she studied with Galina Iwanzowa.She receivesregular guidance from Menahem Pressler and John O’Conor.Beatrice says that she’s also influenced by her work with pianists Brigitte Engerer and Leon Fleisher.
The winner of the Société des Arts Competition in Geneva, she was the Swiss laureate at the Eurovision Contest for young classical musicians, and represented Switzerland at the European Contest in Berlin.She also won the Bach special award at Wiesbaden International Piano Competition.Since the release of her debut CD in 2003 featuring works by Beethoven, Schumann, and Liszt, Beatrice has been in demand as a soloist both in recitals and with numerous orchestras, such as the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Kammerphilharmonie Berlin, Menuhin Chamber Orchestra.She also appears regularly on Swiss, German, US, and Canadian radio and television.
A keen chamber musician, Beatrice was invitedin 2005 by Gidon Kremer to play several concerts at his festival in Basel, and in 2007 and 2008 by Shlomo Mintz to his festival in Sion as well as \duo recitals in Argentina in September 2011. In August 2011, she performed Schumann’s Quintet with Itzhak Perlman at the Hamptons, NY.
On Wednesday, June 6 Beatrice will perform at the Dame Myre Hess concert in Chicago.On the program are two Bach chorales in Busoni’s transcription, Chaconne in d minor, and Liszt’s Après une Lecture de Dante.If you cannot make it to the concert, you can listen to Après une Lecturehere.
Beatrice Berrut 2012
June 4, 2012. Beatrice Berrut. One of the first pieces that Ms. Berrut uploaded to Classical Connect was Schumann’s Piano Sonata no. 1. Schumann was just 23 when he composed what he called Grosse Sonate ("Grand Sonata"). Schumann had at the time already written a
number of great pieces, from Papillons to Toccata in C Major to Carnaval, but clearly he still wanted to write a serious, classical piece (perhaps to impress his bride, the young virtuoso Clara Wieck). Beatrice was the same age of 23 when she recorded the sonata in 2009. What impresses the listener in this recording is the depth, the seriousness of it, something you may not expect from a young performer. This is the hallmark of Ms. Berrut’s art. Whether she plays her beloved Schumann (she recorded all three piano sonatas for Centaur Records), Chopin, Brahms, or Scriabin, she digs deep into the music to uncover the essence and bring it to the listener. The great violinist Gidon Kremer recognized this quality when he described Beatrice as “a wonderfully talented and musical pianist, with impressive seriousness, commitment and sensitivity.”
Beatrice was born in the Swiss canton of Valais, and started the piano rather late, at the age of 9, first in Lausanne with Pierre Goy (paino) and Pierre Amoyal (chamber music), and then at the Neuhaus Foundation in Zurich under renowned pianist Esther Yellin, a pupil of Henrich Neuhaus. She then graduated from the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin, where she studied with Galina Iwanzowa. She receives regular guidance from Menahem Pressler and John O’Conor. Beatrice says that she’s also influenced by her work with pianists Brigitte Engerer and Leon Fleisher.
The winner of the Société des Arts Competition in Geneva, she was the Swiss laureate at the Eurovision Contest for young classical musicians, and represented Switzerland at the European Contest in Berlin. She also won the Bach special award at Wiesbaden International Piano Competition. Since the release of her debut CD in 2003 featuring works by Beethoven, Schumann, and Liszt, Beatrice has been in demand as a soloist both in recitals and with numerous orchestras, such as the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Kammerphilharmonie Berlin, Menuhin Chamber Orchestra. She also appears regularly on Swiss, German, US, and Canadian radio and television.
A keen chamber musician, Beatrice was invited in 2005 by Gidon Kremer to play several concerts at his festival in Basel, and in 2007 and 2008 by Shlomo Mintz to his festival in Sion as well as \duo recitals in Argentina in September 2011. In August 2011, she performed Schumann’s Quintet with Itzhak Perlman at the Hamptons, NY.
On Wednesday, June 6 Beatrice will perform at the Dame Myre Hess concert in Chicago. On the program are two Bach chorales in Busoni’s transcription, Chaconne in d minor, and Liszt’s Après une Lecture de Dante. If you cannot make it to the concert, you can listen to Après une Lecture here.