VietNamNet Bridge – Classical and modern jazz pianist, Francesco Tristano from Luxembourg, will perform in Ha Noi tomorrow night to celebrate the birthday of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and the country's National Day on June 23.

The 30-year-old pianist discovered the piano at the age of five, playing his first concert, including his own compositions, aged 13. He has toured both as a soloist and with renowned orchestras such as the Russian National Orchestra, the French National Orchestra of Lille and the Philharmonie Luxembourg. Tristano is the founder of the chamber ensemble, The New Bach Players, with whom he has performed as conductor. The ensemble consciously breaks with convention, using a Steinway grand piano and old, vibrato-less bows on contemporary string instruments.

Tristano studied at the Lincoln Centre for Performing Art's Juilliard School in New York, completing a master class on Rosalyn Tureck, famous American pianist and harpsichordist particularly associated with the music of Bach.

The pianist completed further studies at the music academies of Brussels, Riga, Paris, Luxembourg and Barcelona, winning the first prize at the international piano competition for contemporary music in Orleans, France, in 2004.

Tristano has released 12 albums, including the 2007 Not for Piano, which presented his own compositions as well as versions of electronic classics played on piano. Idiosynkrasia, his third album, was released to critical acclaim in 2010.

His first musical project, entitled bachCage, produced by Moritz von Oswald, was released on Deutsche Grammophon in March.

During his Ha Noi performance, which will take place at the Ha Noi Opera House at 8pm, Tristano will perform Bach's Partita No 1, B flat major, BWV 825 and Partita No 6, E minor, BWV 830. He will also present some of his own works, including Barceloneta Trist, The Melody and Ground Bass-Chaconne.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News