Cyprien Katsaris
Cyprien
Katsaris
Born on May 5, 1951, in Marseille, France, Cyprien Katsaris is a French-Cypriot pianist and composer renowned for his exceptional virtuosity, expressive depth, and profound musical insight. He began his piano studies at the age of four in Cameroon under Marie-Gabrielle Louwerse. Upon returning to France, he enrolled at the Paris Conservatoire, studying piano with Aline van Barentzen and Monique de la Bruchollerie—herself a student of Emil von Sauer, a direct pupil of Franz Liszt—as well as chamber music with René Leroy and Jean Hubeau. Katsaris graduated with First Prizes in both piano (1969) and chamber music (1970).
His international career commenced in 1966 with a performance of Liszt’s Hungarian Fantasy at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. Since then, he has collaborated with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Dresden, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and NHK Symphony Orchestra. He has performed under the batons of esteemed conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Mstislav Rostropovich, Sir Simon Rattle, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Charles Dutoit, and Kurt Masur.
Katsaris is celebrated for his extensive discography, which encompasses works by composers ranging from Bach and Mozart to Liszt and Saint-Saëns. Notably, he was among the first pianists to record the complete Liszt transcriptions of Beethoven’s nine symphonies. His recordings have been released on labels including Teldec, Sony Classical, EMI, Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, and his own label, Piano 21, established in 2001.
Beyond performance, Katsaris is a dedicated educator, having given masterclasses at institutions such as the Mozarteum in Salzburg, the Franz Liszt Academy in Weimar, and conservatories in New York, Toronto, and Beijing. He has served on juries for prestigious competitions, including the Chopin Competition in Warsaw, the Liszt Competition in Utrecht, and the Beethoven Competition in Bonn.
His contributions to music have been recognized with numerous honors, including the UNESCO Artist for Peace title (1997), Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (France, 2000), and the Commandeur de l’Ordre de Mérite du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg (2009). Katsaris continues to inspire audiences worldwide with his profound interpretations and unwavering commitment to musical excellence.
