ABDEL RAHMAN EL BACHA
Born in Beirut into a family of musicians, he started his piano schooling in 1967 with Zvart Sarkissian, a pupil of Marguerite Long and Jacques Février. At the age of 10, he was offered a scholarship by France, the former USSR and Great Britain. He took up the French offer out of cultural affinity and entered the Paris Conservatoire in the class of Pierre Sancan. He graduated with 4 first prizes (piano, chamber music, harmony and conterpoint).
In June 1978, Abdel Rahman El Bacha won the Concours Reine Elizabeth de Belgique by a unanimous judgment. Abdel Rahman El Bacha was also awarded the Audience Prize. He was only nineteen.
Abdel Rahman El Bacha is a rare and radiant interpreter appreciated all around the world. He receives much critical acclaim for his performances and his discography. The musical press comments on the exceptional qualities of his playing and his emotional power.
From the Salzburg Mozarteum to the Paris Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, from the Munich Herkulessaal to the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, he performs all over Europe, in Russia, Japan, the Middle East, the USA, Central and South America. His vast repertory, including almost 60 concertos, is based mainly on the works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Rachmaninov, Ravel and Prokofiev.
He has performed under eminent conductors with prestigious orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Orchestre de Paris, the Royal Philharmonic, the NHK Tokyo, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra…
Abdel Rahman El Bacha has had double French-Lebanese citizenship since1981.
He was made « Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres » by the French Minister of Culture in 1998 and in has been awarded the « Médaille de l’Ordre du Mérite » by the President of the Republic of Lebanon, the highest distinction of his native country.
Abdel Rahman El Bacha’s discography is very important, including the complete works of Chopin piano repertoire – which he also perfomed in concert in Festival de La Roque d’Anthéron and in many other venues, - the complete set of Beethoven piano sonatas, and Prokofiev’s Five Piano Concertos, for the CD labels Forlane, and Fuga Libera. He is also a composer of note.
