Jean-Yves Thibaudet

Pianist

Through elegant musicality and an insightful approach to contemporary and established repertoire, Jean-Yves Thibaudet has earned a reputation as one of the world’s finest pianists.

He is especially known for his diverse interests beyond the classical world, including numerous collaborations in film, fashion, and visual art. He is the first-ever Artist-in-Residence at the Colburn School, which awards several scholarships in his name.

During the 2025/26 season, Thibaudet appeared in concerts and recitals around the world in works ranging from Gershwin’s Concerto in F to Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 5, Bernstein’s Symphony No. 2, “The Age of Anxiety,” Scriabin’s Prometheus, and Messiaen’s Turangalîla-symphonie. A major champion of Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto, Thibaudet performed the piece with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic. In addition to his orchestral dates, Thibaudet joined violinist Lisa Batiashvili and cellist Gautier Capuçon on a fall trio tour, with stops throughout Western Europe. He also continued his multi-season focus on Debussy’s Préludes, performing both books in their entirety at recitals around the world.

A prolific recording artist, Thibaudet has appeared on more than 70 albums and six film soundtracks; his extensive catalog has received two Grammy nominations, two Echo Awards, the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik, the Diapason d’Or, the Choc du Monde de la Musique, the Edison Prize, and Gramophone awards. Recent recordings include Khachaturian, a celebration of the Armenian composer including his Piano Concerto and several solo piano pieces; and Gershwin Rhapsody, a selection of Gershwin pieces recorded with Michael Feinstein, including four newly discovered ones. He is the soloist on Dario Marianelli’s recently reissued soundtrack for Pride & Prejudice, which was certified Gold by the RIAA in 2025; his playing can also be heard on Marianelli’s soundtrack for Atonement, Alexandre Desplat’s for The French Dispatch and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, and Aaron Zigman’s for Wakefield. His concert wardrobe is designed by Dame Vivienne Westwood.

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