Lucas Debargue Trio Recital

Though placed ‘only’ 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 Critic’s Prize as a pianist ‘whose incredible gift, artistic vision and creative freedom impressed the critics as well as the audience’.

Straight after this incredible breakthrough Lucas Debargue was invited to play solo and with leading orchestras in the most prestigious concert halls in Russia, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, South Korea and with such famous conductors as Valery Gergiev, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Vladimir Jurowski, Andrey Boreyko, Gidon Kremer, Vladimir Spivakov and Vasily Petrenko.

In March 2016, he released his first album under the Sony Classical label, with works by Scarlatti, Chopin, Liszt and Ravel. His second album, a dialogue between Bach, Beethoven and Medtner was released in September 2016, also with Sony Classical.

Born in 1990, Lucas Debargue was 11 years old when he took his first piano lessons at the Compiègne Conservatory in the class of Christine Muenier. He was fascinated by the virtuoso repertoire, yet it was not until 10 years later, after graduating from Paris Diderot University with a Licence degree in arts and letters, that he decided to return to studying piano at the professional level.

After a year of study at the Beauvais Conservatory in the class of Philippe Tamborini, he was introduced in 2011 to his current mentor, the celebrated Russian professor Rena Shereshevskaya at the Rueil-Malmaison Conservatory. This encounter was decisive for Lucas: she quickly recognized in him a performer with a bright future and accepted him in her class at the Alfred Cortot Paris Superior Music School to prepare him for the major international competitions. During his studies he was supported by the Cortot School, the Zaleski Foundation as well as by the Massy Opera Orchestra (led by Dominique Rouits) and the orchestral ensemble Les Voyages Extraordinaires (led by Joachim Jousse). In 2014, he won 1st prize at the 9th Gaillard International Piano Competition (France) before becoming one of the prize winners at the 15th International Tchaikovsky Competition, when the world instantly took note of this rising pianist. Concurrent with his studies at Cortot School, he obtained a Licence degree at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris  (CNSM).

Inspired by literature, painting, film and jazz, deeply committed to a creative approach, Lucas Debargue is keen to present works by lesser-known composers such as Medtner, Roslavetz, Maykapar, and to develop highly personal and incredibly thoughtful interpretations from a carefully selected repertoire. He also composes his own music, and some of his works have already been premiered in Russia as well as in France.

In April 2016, he obtained a Diplôme Supérieur de Concertiste and a Special Cortot Prize at the Cortot School. At present he continues to do post-graduate work with Rena Shereshevskaya.

He continued to hone his skills in Berlin, Salzburg and Weimar in the classes of Claudio Bohórquez, Clemens Hagen and Wolfgang Schmidt.

Alexandre has won several international competitions as a solo musician and as a chamber musician, notably Second Prize at the Franz Schubert Competition in Austria, First Prize at the International Chamber Music Competition in Lødz, Poland, Second Prize at the ‘Villa de Llanes’ International Cello Competition in Spain, Second Prize and Best Performance of a Contemporary Piece Prize at the ‘Carlos Prieto’ International Cello Competition in Morelia, Mexico, and was a finalist in the ARD International Music Competition in Munich in 2010. He was also won scholarships from Fondation Villecroze, Yamaha Young Performing Artist and the Liszt Foundation in Germany.

Alexandre has performed solo with the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Brandenburg-Berlin Sinfonieorchester, the Budapest Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Orchestra of Morocco, the Jenaer Philharmonie, the National Symphony Orchestra of Panama, the Peruvian Youth Orchestra and the Collegium Musicum Weimar. He is also interested in pedagogy and orchestral conducting.

Since June 2015, he has been the soloist of the Weimar Opera and Staatskapelle Orchestra.

He plays a cello made by an 18th century Italian master.   

At the age of 15, David was selected for the International Academy of Music under the direction of Seiji Ozawa. The Academy’s concerts took place in June to July 2009 at Victoria Hall in Geneva and at the Champs Elysées Theatre in Paris.

He has won several national and international competitions for violin and chamber music. He won First Prize at the Young Artist Competition in Colorado (USA) and First Prize at the Mirecourt International Violin Competition (France) where he performed Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in D major with the National Orchestra of Lorraine directed by Jacques Mercier. He also won the Audience Prize at the International Jeunesses Musicales Competition Belgrade where he performed Shostakovich’s Concerto no.1 with the Radio-Television Belgrade Symphony Orchestra. In 2012, he performed Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No.1 Op.20 and La Havanaise with the Bordeaux string ensemble, directed by Jean-Jacques Kantorow. In 2013, he won First Prize and four special prizes including the EMCY Prize at the International Louis Spohr Competition for Young Violinists in Weimar (Germany).

The Suryana Trio, created by David when he was studying at the CNSM won First Prize at the Bacewicz International Composer Competition (Poland), and Second Prize and the special prize for Best Performance of a Contemporary Piece at the Franz Schubert and Modern Music International Competition in Graz (Austria).

He continued his training at the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin with Kolja Blacher and is currently studying at the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar with Friedemann Eichhorn.

From 2015 to 2016, David was First Violinist of the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Theatre Altenburg-Gera (Germany).

David plays a 1690 G.B. Guadanini ex-Louis Spohr loaned from the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar.