Biography
Franco-Belgian pianist Antoine Préat was born in August 1997 in Paris. Described by the French radio as “one of the most gifted pianists of the youngest generation”, Antoine is in demand both as a chamber musician and a soloist.
Antoine began his studies at the age of nine at the Junior Paris Conservatoire (CRR de Paris). One year later, he made his public debut at the Salle Gaveau. In 2011, he was invited to continue his studies at the Ecole Normale de Musique A. Cortot, from which he graduated with a distinction at the age of 17. During his time at the Ecole Normale, Antoine had the chance to be taught by Guigla Katsarava and Ludmila Berlinskaia (protégée of Sviatoslav Richter).
Deeply affected by this Russian teaching, Antoine decided to continue his studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, under the tutelage of Tatiana Sarkissova, where he received the Colin Murray Award (2016) and Vivian Langrish Award (2018) for highest mark in an examination as well as the Bache Fund Award for special achievement (2019).
During his studies, Antoine also completed courses of musical analysis, history of music, chamber music, accompaniment and harmony. From September 2019, Antoine will be completing a Master of Arts course at the Academy under Christopher Elton’s tutelage.
Looking to enrich his understanding of the instrument and of the repertoire, Antoine began to study fortepiano and period instruments with Carole Cerasi, and has been fortunate to receive counsel from Andreas Staier, Tobias Koch and Yves Henry. He has also had the opportunity to perform on period instruments in England, France and Poland, as well as to perform Mozart’s Concerto in A Major and Mendelssohn’s first Klaviertrio with members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment scheme.
Antoine is an avid chamber musician, and was the youngest artist to be invited to join the Centre de Musique de Chambre de Paris, (directed by Jerome Pernoo) with whom he gave twelve concerts at the Salle Cortot in Paris, sponsored by Deutsche Gramophone.
He has been a finalist/prizewinner in numerous national and international competitions such as the Ettlingen competition for young pianists, the Concours International de la Ville de Gagny, the Concours international d'Ile de France, received an honor prize at the New York Début Piano Competition, and more.
Performance highlights include festivals such as the Nohant Chopin Festival, Lisztomanias, Chopin à Bagatelle, les Concerts d'Esther, Marathon Chopin (for his bicentenary), les Nuits du piano in Paris, Jeunes talents...
Antoine is also regularly invited to perform as a soloist and a chamber musician in France (Salle Cortot, Hungarian Institute, Equinoxe, Beaux Arts Museum in Paris, Salle Gaveau, Salle Rossini...) as well as in Europe and the United States (Wigmore Hall, London, Thayer Hall, Los Angeles, Sala dei Notari, Perugia, Schloss Glienicke, Potsdam...) His performances have been broadcast on the BBC and France Musique.
Antoine made his orchestral debut at 17, playing Rachmaninov's second concerto under the baton of Mihnea Ignat, and has since performed with Orchestra of Alicante, the Tonerl Chamber Orchestra, the Sainsbury Soloists, the Academy Festival Orchestra, the London Student Orchestra...
Throughout his education, Antoine has regularly received guidance from Philippe Cassard and Alberta Alexandrescu as well as followed masterclasses with Robert Levin, Jerome Lowenthal, Richard Goode, Imogen Cooper, Stephen Hough, Muza Rubackyte, Pavel Gililov and Pascal Dévoyon, amongst others.
Antoine is very fortunate to be supported by Talent Unlimited as well as the Munster Derek Butler Award.
