Lucas Debargue, pianist
“ There has never been a foreign pianist who caused such a stir since Glenn Gould’s arrival in Moscow and Van Cliburn’s victory at the Tchaikovsky competition.”
Olivier Bellamy, “The Huffington Post”
Though placingonly fourth at the 15th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2015, Lucas Debargue was the only musician across all disciplines who was awarded the coveted Moscow Music Critics’ Prize as a pianist “whose incredible gift, artistic vision and creative freedom have impressed the critics as well as the audience”.
Directly following the Competition he was invited as soloist withthe leading orchestras in the most prestigious concert halls in Russia,France, Canada, Germany Italy, UK,USA, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and China; and with such famous conductors as Valery Gergiev, Vladimir Jurowski, Andrey Boreyko, Tougan Sokhiev, Vladimir Fedoseev, Vladimir Spivakov, Gidon Kremer,VassiliPetrenkoamong others.
In March of 2016SONY CLASSICAL released his first CD with the works of Scarlatti, Chopin, Liszt and Ravel to wide critical acclaim, and in September 2016 released his second CD featuringthe works of Bach, Beethoven and Medtner.
Born in 1990, Lucas Debargue began piano at age 11 at the Compiegne Conservatory in the class of ChristineMuenier. He was quickly fascinated by the virtuoso repertoire but it was 10 years later, after he had become a holder of scientific baccalaureate and of a bachelor of arts degree (in the Paris 7 Diderot University) that he decided to return to studying piano at the professional level.
After a year of studies at the Beauvais Conservatory in 2011, he methis current mentorthe celebrated Russian professor Rena Shereshevskaya.This encounter was fortuitous for Lucas as she quickly recognized in him a piano interpreter with a great future and accepted him in her class at the Alfred Cortot Paris Superior Music Schoolto prepare him for grand international competitions.In his studies he was supported by the Cortot Schooland by the ZaleskiFoundation. In 2014 he won the 1st Prize at the 9th Gaillard International Piano Competition (France) before becoming the prize winner at 15th Tchaikovsky Competition.In parallel with the studies at the Cortot Schoolhe obtained a License degree at Paris National Superior Music Conservatory.
Having a passion for literature, painting, movies, jazz, and being engaged in creative work, Lucas Debargue is eager to discover rare music (Medtner, Roslavetz, Maykapar...) and to develop very personal interpretations of a thoroughly selected repertoire. He also composes his own music.
In April 2016 he obtaineda DiplômeSupérieur de Concertisteand a special Prize Cortotat the Paris CortotMusic School and at present continues to work with Rena Shereshevskayain post-graduate courses at the same School.
(446 words/Sept 2016)