Ralph van Raat
Summary
Biography
“Contemporary composers may count themselves fortunate that a pianist like Ralph van Raat interprets their music. A more convincing advocate of repertoire after 1900 is scarcely imaginable. Van Raat not only can play these complex, dissonant, often highly motorically demanding scores by heart and with an unprecedented surplus of technique ...
Instruments
piano
News archive
Start regionale selecties Prinses Christina Concours 2012 (1/5/12) 
Selectie showcases DCMM 2011 (7/17/11)
'Componeren in Nederland' wint Prijs Klassiek (11/9/10)
'Componeren in Nederland' wint Prijs Klassiek (11/9/10)
Prijs Klassiek (8/24/10)
Prijs Klassiek (8/24/10)
Biography
“Contemporary composers may count themselves fortunate that a pianist like Ralph van Raat interprets their music. A more convincing advocate of repertoire after 1900 is scarcely imaginable. Van Raat not only can play these complex, dissonant, often highly motorically demanding scores by heart and with an unprecedented surplus of technique and stamina, he can above all also inevitably win over the listener with his great musical imagination”. (Trouw, 2009) Van Raat is a musicologist and pianist. He plays both the traditional classical repertoire and contemporary music. He has “an unlimited motivation to play post-1900 music, which compared to traditional classical music is less known, and makes audiences enthusiastic about it”. He often undertakes this in the form of lecture-recitals. “My aim is and will be to let music sound to an audience in the best possible way and convince the people of the beauty and expressiveness of the music of their own world”. (Van Raat's website statement of artistic vision) Various composers have dedicated music to Van Raat. In addition, he has worked with a number of composers on the interpretation of their piano music, including John Adams, Louis Andriessen, György Kurtág, Magnus Lindberg, Arvo Pärt, Frederic Rzewski, John Tavener, and Gavin Bryars. Van Raat has given solo recitals in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the United States. He has been a soloist with many ensembles and orchestras and at international festivals. He teaches contemporary piano music at the Utrecht and Amsterdam conservatories and often gives master classes, lectures and workshops.
1995 - 1997
Ralph van Raat wins second prize and the Donemus Prize at the Princess Christina Competition. He studies the piano with Ton Hartsuiker and Willem Brons at the Amsterdam Conservatory.
1998 - 2002
During his studies Ralph van Raat is accepted in 'The Provisions for Excelling Musicians' programme, which provides for a personally tailored course of study in addition to the regular conservatory curriculum. He wins the scholarship prize at the International Summer Course for New Music in Darmstadt (1998) and the first prize at the International Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition (1999), the youngest winner ever. Van Raat also studies with Claude Helffer in Paris, Ursula Oppens in Chicago (Northwestern University), Liisa Pohjola in Finland, and Pierre-Laurent Aimard in Cologne (Cologne Academy of Music). He participates in master classes in the Netherlands and abroad, made possible by grants, for example from the Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund. He graduates cum laude at the Conservatory. Van Raat also studies musicology at the University of Amsterdam.
2002
Luister magazine writes of his first CD: “Van Raat joins great insight into the often complex structures of contemporary music with a superior technique. The fact that many composers already are writing works for this young interpreter reveals an active participation in musical life and (the very warranted) enormous trust of the composers”.
2003
Van Raat wins the Philip Morris Arts Prize. The jury report: “Ralph van Raat is an exceptional talent who seems to make inaccessible music accessible through unconditional determination and a direct emotional expressiveness”. The Steinway piano company makes him a Steinway Artist. He completes his musicological studies cum laude.
2005
Van Raat is nominated for an Edison Classical Music Award and receives the Elisabeth Everts Prize. He is awarded an international Borletti-Buitoni Fellowship and the VCSD Classical Music Prize.
2006
He is again nominated for an Edison Classical Music Award. NPS Radio 4 engages him to compile a six-part radio series about modern music and accessibility. He receives the Fortis MeesPierson Award from the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. A reviewer writes of a concert on November 4 at Utrecht's Vredenburg Music Centre: “Van Raat is an intelligent pianist with a lot of ability. Unlike many of his colleagues, he adds something unmistakably his own to the pieces he plays. Like 'La cathédrale engloutie' by Debussy, that in Van Raat's hands had the addition of a lush Monet palette. Or Andriessen's music, in which Van Raat, as one of the few, allowed the profundity and melancholy to shimmer through the bright colours”. (Trouw, 2006)
2008
Van Raat compiles his own concert series for the Amsterdam Concertgebouw this season.
2009
The Naxos CD label internationally releases a five-CD Artist Profile with everything Van Raat has recorded for them to date.
2010
November 7 Ralph van Raat wins the Prijs Klassiek (Classics Prize) from the Dutch radio and television broadcaster NTR. The prize was awarded to Ralph in a special dedicated public television program.
In the discography you will find all recordings that have been released listed chronologically. We restrict ourselves to the title, the type of audio, year of publication or recording, label, list of guest musicians, plus any comments on the issue.
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