Alexander Lonquich

Alexander Lonquich demonstrates remarkable adaptability at the piano, thriving equally in solo performances and partnerships with fellow musicians. His calendar overflows with engagements at festivals worldwide, while he also takes on conducting duties and imparts knowledge through teaching. A prolific recording artist, Lonquich has contributed to the catalogs of specialized imprints like ECM alongside broader labels such as EMI Classics. Notably, 2024 saw the release of his interpretation of Beethoven’s full set of piano concertos alongside the Münchener Kammerorchester under the ECM banner.

Born on August 28, 1960, in Trier located in westernmost Germany, Lonquich honed his skills under distinguished instructors including Paul Badura-Skoda, Andrzej Jasiński, and Ilonka Deckers-Küszler. His initial major success arrived in 1977 upon securing the top award at the Alessandro Casagrande Piano Competition held in Terni, Italy, which promptly opened doors to performances with various European ensembles. Further recognition came in 1980 with an honorable mention at the X International Chopin Competition in Warsaw.

Following numerous orchestral and festival engagements, Lonquich issued his first recording in 1990, accompanying violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann through Mozart’s violin sonatas. The duo followed up in 1994 with a collection of French pieces for violin and piano, coinciding with EMI’s re-release of a prior Mozart album.

He has collaborated with leading ensembles such as the Vienna Philharmonic, London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, and the Münchener Kammerorchester. Venturing into conducting during the 2000s, Lonquich frequently directs the Camerata Salzburg while performing Mozart piano concertos from the keyboard. Although Mozart occupies a central place in his programs, his range extends into contemporary compositions. Beyond concertos, he presents solo recitals and engages in chamber music, partnering with violinist Christian Tetzlaff, violist Veronika Hagen, and the Auryn Quartett. His performances have reached audiences across North America, Asia, and Australia.

On the recording front, Lonquich joined the Auryn Quartett in 2002 for an ECM album featuring Gideon Lewensohn’s works, and he has maintained associations with ECM as well as Orfeo and Claves. Starting in the late 2010s, he recorded often for Alpha, including the 2018 release Schubert 1828, which explores music from the final phase of the composer’s career. In 2024, he both performed and conducted Beethoven’s piano concertos cycle with the Münchener Kammerorchester for ECM, bringing his total discography past forty releases. Lonquich serves as artistic director of the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole in Italy and regularly conducts master classes throughout Germany and beyond.