About Marc-André Hamelin

Marc-André Hamelin's startlingly original blend of musicianship and virtuosity has earned him legendary status as a true avatar of the piano. Long known for his matchless exploration of unfamiliar pianistic terrain, Mr. Hamelin is now recognized worldwide for the originality and technical brilliance of his performances of the classic repertoire.

Mr. Hamelin's 2008-2009 season includes a return recital at London's Wigmore Hall and recitals in Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. Orchestral engagements include appearances with the Montreal, Saint Louis, Seattle, New Jersey, and North Carolina symphony orchestras. In Europe he returns to Finland to the Helsinki Philharmonic and the Lahti Symphony, and debuts with the La Scala Philharmonic, led by Valery Gergiev. Mr. Hamelin also embarks on a tour of Asia and Australia for concerts with the Singapore Symphony and Gunther Herbig, the Malaysian Philharmonic with Osmo Vanska, and the Melbourne Symphony led by Oleg Caetani. He finishes with a pair of recitals in Hong Kong. Mr. Hamelin also tours with the Takács String Quartet, performing the Schumann Piano Quintet at venues in the U.S., Canada, Spain, and England. In March 2009 the Pro Musica Society of Montreal marks its 60th anniversary season celebrating the art of Marc-André Hamelin. In a week of concerts Mr. Hamelin collaborates with violinist Lara St. John, the Leipzig String Quartet, soprano Karina Gauvin, and Les Violins du Roy with Bernard Labadie, and finishes with a solo recital.

Under exclusive contract with Hyperion Records, his recent disc Marc-André Hamelin in a state of jazz was released in May 2008 to outstanding acclaim; the recording features works by Alexis Weissenberg, Nikolai Kapustin, George Antheil, and Friedrich Gulda - all through-composed works in the jazz idiom. In addition, Hamelin has recorded over 35 CDs for Hyperion, including concertos by Alkan, Bernstein, Bolcom, Busoni, Korngold, Joseph Marx, Rubinstein, Scharwenka, and Shostakovich, and works for solo piano by Alkan, Catoire, Grainger, Medtner, Reger, Roslavets, and Rzewski, as well as brilliantly received performances of Haydn, Schumann, Brahms, Liszt and Albeniz.

Mr. Hamelin was recently presented with a rarely bestowed lifetime achievement prize, the German Record Critics' Award (Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik). Marc-André Hamelin was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2003 and a Chevalier de l'Ordre du Québec in 2004; he is also a member of the Royal Society of Canada.

Marc-André Hamelin is represented by Colbert Artist Management.
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