Pierre-Laurent Aimard

Pierre-Laurent Aimard is a totally unblinkered pianist. Since Pierre Boulez asked him to help found the Ensemble Intercontemporain in 1976, he has been recognized as a specialist in new music. All the while, though, he has given ample proof that he knows his classics. He likes to describe himself as a traveller constantly discovering new worlds. A musical omnivore, he is driven by an unremitting curiosity and the will to transcend boundaries. Thus, he does not shrink from playing the Beethoven piano concertos on a modern grand, under the direction of Nikolaus Harnoncourt, standard bearer of the historical performance. Their fresh approach to playing these more-than-familiar pillars of the repertoire produces a stunning result. Aimard's performance of Bach's 'The Art of Fugue' on the modern Steinway displays the same questing spirit. Whether he paints, as it were, a dewdrop 'à la Debussy' or lets Messiaen's birds sing, he always conjures up the right tonal colours. In his carefully planned programmes, he likes to make unexpected connections between composers and styles. Above all, he takes pleasure in sharing his insights with the public. The day after his concert, he is making time for a lecture recital. Don't miss it!