At age 25, Rafal Blechacz has already been cited by critics as a talent that only comes along every few decades.  His playing is characterized by its elegance, delicacy and a poetic solemnity that has invited comparison to the legendary pianists of the early 20th century.

A consummate presence at various international piano competitions over the years, he won second prize at the Arthur Rubinstein Young Pianist Competition in Bydgoszcz in 2002.  In 2003 Blechacz was co-winner at the 5th International Young Pianist Competition in Hamamatsu, Japan.  In 2004 he won first prize at the 4th International Piano Competition in Morocco ... read full bio

At age 25, Rafal Blechacz has already been cited by critics as a talent that only comes along every few decades.  His playing is characterized by its elegance, delicacy and a poetic solemnity that has invited comparison to the legendary pianists of the early 20th century.

A consummate presence at various international piano competitions over the years, he won second prize at the Arthur Rubinstein Young Pianist Competition in Bydgoszcz in 2002.  In 2003 Blechacz was co-winner at the 5th International Young Pianist Competition in Hamamatsu, Japan.  In 2004 he won first prize at the 4th International Piano Competition in Morocco.

2005 was a pivotal year for the young artist unanimously winning first prize and all non-statutory distinctions for best mazurka, polonaise and concerto performances at the 15th International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.  He also won four special prizes including the Polish Radio award for best performance of the mazurkas, the Polish Chopin Society award for best performance of the polonaise, the Warsaw Philharmonic award for best performance of the concerto and the award founded by Krystian Zimerman for best sonata performance.

Winning the Gold Medal at the Chopin Competition opened doors into the most prestigious concert halls around the world.  In 2006, Blechacz received invitations to perform at the Warsaw Philharmony Hall, the Tchaikovsky Hall of the Moscow Conservatory with the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev, Tonhalle in Zurich and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.  He also presented a series of 12 recitals in major concert halls in Japan including Suntory Hall in Tokyo and he gave critically acclaimed performances at the Ruhr, Verbier and La Roque d'Antheron summer music festivals.  2007 brought him to Herkules Saal in Munich, Wigmore Hall in London, Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, re-invitation performances in Japan and Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels.  

In May 2006 Belchacz signed an exclusive  contract with Deutsche Grammophon. His first recording was of the complete Chopin Preludes coupled with Two Nocturnes op. 62.  In 2007 he made a second recording devoted to the Viennese Classics – Haydn’s Sonata in E flat major, Mozart’s Sonata K. 311 and Beethoven’s Sonata op. 2 no. 2.  In October 2009 Blechacz’s collaborated the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Jerzy Semkow in making his first orchestral recording of the two Chopin concertos.    

Highlights of recent seasons include a debut with the New York Philharmonic, a tour of Japan performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no. 4 with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra under Marek Janowski, the Beethoven Fourth Concerto with the Warsaw National Philharmonic in Warsaw and with the Orquesta de Valencia in Valencia and Castellon, Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto no. 2 with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia in Spain and with the Orchestre National de France in Paris, and Chopin’s First and Second Piano Concertos with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. Blechacz has also appeared at the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, and the Verbier, Heidelberg and Salzburg festivals.  He continues to give solo recitals throughout the major music capitals of Europe, and in 2010 made his Kennedy Center recital debut.  

Blechacz began studying the piano at the age of five and completed his formal education in 2007 at the Feliks Nowowiejski Music Academy in Bydgoszcz studying under Professor Katarzyna Popowa-Zydron.

Audio clip:
Chopin: Prelude #3 In G, Op. 28/3 from the album Chopin: The Complete Preludes courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon.