Beatrice Berrut, Piano

Biography

Described as “a wonderfully talented and musical pianist with impressive seriousness, commitment and sensitivity” by Gidon Kremer and as a “revelation” by the Buenos Aires Naciòn, the young Swiss pianist Beatrice Berrut is no stranger to the international stage. She has played numerous concerts throughout Europe and America, at prestigious venues such as Bennett Gordon Hall in Chicago for the Ravinia Festival, Chopin Academy Hall in Warsaw, Konzerthaus Berlin, Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Victoria Hall in Geneva, Teatro Coliseo of Buenos Aires...

The winner of the « Société des Arts Competition » in Geneva, Beatrice was the Swiss laureate at the Eurovision Contest for young classical musicians, going on to represent Switzerland at the European Contest in Berlin.  She also won Bach special award at Wiesbaden International Piano Competition in 2009, and in 2011 she was awarded the “Revelacion” prize by the Argentinian Critics’ Assocation for her concerts in Argentina with Shlomo Mintz.

Beatrice was born in the Swiss canton of Valais in 1985, and started the piano aged 9, first in Lausanne with Pierre Goy, and chamber music with Pierre Amoyal, before being accepted to study at the Neuhaus Foundation in Zurich under renowned pianist Esther Yellin. She then graduated from the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin, where she studied with Galina Iwanzowa. She now receives regular mentoring from John O’Conor as an Artist Diploma student at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin.

Since the release of her debut CD in 2003 on the AMIE label, featuring works by Beethoven, Schumann and Liszt, Beatrice Berrut has been in demand to play as a soloist in prestigious venues, either on recital, or with numerous orchestras such as the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Kammerphilharmonie Berlin, Menuhin Chamber Orchestra, Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra… She also appears regularly on Swiss, German, US, French and Canadian radio and television (BBC3, WFMT Chicago, CWKR, ZDF, Sat3, France Musique, Espace 2…).

Released in 2011, her last album featuring Schumann’s complete piano Sonatas on the American label CENTAUR RECORDS has gained international critical acclaim.

A keen chamber musician, in 2005 Beatrice was personally invited by Gidon Kremer to play several concerts at his festival in Basel, and in 2007 and 2008 by Shlomo Mintz to his festival in Sion, as well as for a duo recitals tour in Argentina in September 2011. In August 2011 she performed Schumann Quintet with Itzhak Perlman in the Hamptons, NY. In 2010 and 2011 she was invited by Miriam Fried to be a fellow at the Steans Music Institute at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago.

She is a member of the Trio Saint-Exupéry, together with Lorenzo Gatto (violin) and Camille Thomas (cello).

She is influenced heavily by her regular work with pianists such as Menahem Pressler, Brigitte Engerer, or Leon Fleisher and Alon Goldstein.

Beatrice is a Steinway Artist.   She is passionate about skiing and aviation, and is studying for a pilot’s license.

www.beatriceberrut.com