Michel DALBERTO, piano

Michel Dalberto first came to prominence winning the Clara Haskil Prize in 1975. Three years later he won 1st Prize in the Leeds International Piano Competition (where previous prize-winners include Lupu, Orozco, Perahia or Schiff).

Born in Paris in a non-musical family which take roots in Dauphine and italian Piemonte, he began the piano at the age of three and a half. When he was twelve, he was introduced to Vlado Perlemuter, a favourite pupil of the late Alfred Cortot, and entered his class at the Paris Conservatoire in 1968 where he completed his studies during nine years.

After his Leeds victory he was invited to perform under the baton of conductors such as Leinsdorf/ Orchestre de Paris, Sawallisch/ OSR, Dutoit/ ONF and Montreal, C. Davis/ Amsterdam Concertgebouw, A. Davis/ London Philharmonic, Inbal/ RSO Frankfurt, Temirkanov/ Roma Santa-Cecilia, Dausgaard/ Oslo Philharmonic and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He has also been guest of Festivals such as Lucerne (Gielen/ Festival Orch and Jarvi/ Detroit Symph.), Florence (Barschai/ Maggio Musicale), Aix-en-Provence (Janowski/ Philharmonique de Radio-France), Vienna (Inbal/ Wiener Symph.), Schleswig-Holstein, Grange de Meslay and La Roque d'Antheron. Last season, Michel was invited to the Edinburgh Festival for an all Ravel programme.

From the beginning of his career, Michel Dalberto has been acknowledged as
one of the forefront interpreters of Schubert and Mozart. Liszt, Debussy, Faure, Schumann and Ravel are also among his favourite composers. Michel is the only living pianist to have recorded the complete piano works by Schubert (14 Cd on Denon). Other recordings include the Grieg Concerto and
Strauss Burlesque with the London Philharmonic/Pommier, a live recording of
the Schumann Concerto at the Vienna Festival with the Wiener Symphoniker/Inbal, Songs by Chausson with Jessye Norman and two recitals
with Barbara Hendricks. As a BMG/RCA artist since 1998, he has recorded for
this label the 1st Book of Preludes and Images by Debussy and Mozart
Concerti No 20 and 22 with Ensemble Orchestral de Paris/John Nelson. In June 2004, Michel released Paraphrases by Liszt from Verdi and Wagner's operas/BMG which received an outstanding reception from both critics
(Gramophone, Classic FM, Diapason etc..) and from th!e public (Top sale of the classic recordings during the summer).

From January to May 2005, Michel will be a guest of several major theatres
in Italy including Florence, Bologna, Turin, Milan, Venice and will return
to Moscow with the violinist and conductor Dmitry Sitkovetsky (piano-violin
recital and Brahms 1st Concerto). Forthcoming engagements this season and
next include Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Petersburg
Philharmonic Orchestra, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Lausanne Chamber
Orchestra, Manchester International Piano Festival and the Granada Symphony Orchestra. He has also been invited to perform with the Orchestre National de France under Daniele Gatti (Mozart A-Major Concerto) at Paris Theatre des Champs-Elysees. During the last two seasons, Michel toured the UK and the Netherlands with the Residentie Orchestra under Jaap van Zweeden as well as the Orchestre National de France under Kurt Masur in Italy. He also appeared in concerts at the Concertgebouw and toured Belgium with the Liege Orchestra under the baton of Louis Langree. In March 2004, Michel made a very successful debut in China and has subsequently been re-invited back this year and for the following next seasons.

Michel Dalberto is Artistic Adviser of Les Arcs Academy-Festival in Savoy
as well as Chairman of the Jury of the Clara Haskil Competition in Vevey.

He was awarded the Knight of the Ordre National du Merite by the French
Government in 1996.