Rafal Blechacz joins DG

[lol_nl]

Deutsche Grammophon signs exclusive contract with Chopin Competition Winner Rafał Blechacz
Dear DG Yellow News Subscribers,

Deutsche Grammophon is pleased to announce the signing of an exclusive contract with 21-year-old pianist Rafał Blechacz, recent winner of the 15th Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw. He was praised by the distinguished pianist and Warsaw Chopin Competition jury member John O’Conor as “one of the greatest artists I have had a chance to hear in my entire life”. Rafał Blechacz has since performed to extraordinary critical acclaim at summer music festivals in Verbier, Dortmund and La Roque d’Anthéron. His first Deutsche Grammophon CD will feature works by Chopin.

On signing the contract Rafał Blechacz remarked: “It is a great honour for me to join Deutsche Grammophon. Sharing my interpretations and touching listeners emotionally with music are very important to me. I look forward to the opportunity of achieving this in recordings.”

Born in Nakło nad Notecią on 30 June 1985, Rafał Blechacz was five when he began learning the piano at a local music centre. At the age of eight he enrolled at Bydgoszcz’s Artur Rubinstein Music School. Between 1996 and 1999 he won the top awards at a number of Polish national piano competitions. He is currently completing his studies at the Feliks Nowowiejski Music Academy in Bydgoszcz.

“Chopin fits him like a glove. Much like Krystian Zimerman, he projects this music with staggering naturalness. His control of line, his nobility of phrasing, his capacity for tailing off a melody without affectation – all of these mark him with special distinction.”
Le Temps

For further information, please visit our Artist Page.

Your Deutsche Grammophon Web Team
http://www.deutschegrammophon.com

[johnmar78]

good web site. I locked it on.

[juufa72]

Only one year older than me and he is already famous....question is: What the hell did I do with my life so far?

[elvenpianist]

heh, as everybody knows, I was going for Wunder in that comp (gotta root for the Austrian ); but I'm starting to really appreciate Rafal more- very talented, and much less in-yo'-face showy (ala LL) than most pianists his age. Happy to hear he signed on with DC, I'll buy his cds (I hope he whips out some Bach & Schumann, though!).

(Doesn't hurt that he plays a decent mazurka and has hobbit hair, either. Plus, I like his suit.)

-elf

[PJF]

As long as this earth is blessed with those so talented as Rafał Blechacz, Chopin will never die.

[Jeliness2]

I love his technique. I also think his pinky looks pretty interesting, unique, cool.....