An outstanding soloist as well as a fine chamber musician, Jean-Claude Pennetier is considered as one of the most brilliant pianist of his generation.
While he has enjoyed a rich and varied musical career (contemporary music, composition, conducting, the fortepiano, teaching, intensive practise of chamber music), Jean-Claude Peenetier finds his privileged field of expression in his activities as a piano soloist.
He distinguished himself in several international competitions – First Prize in the Gabriel Fauré Competition, Second Prize in Marguerite Long Competition, Most Distinguished Canditate at the Geneva Competition – before embarking on a brilliant career in which he has appeared both in France and abroad with such internationally renowned orchestras as the Orchestre de Paris, the Dresden Staatskapelle, The Orchestre National de Lille, and the NHK Orchestra of Tokyo. He is the guest of prestigious festivals like La Roque d’Anthéron, Prades, Seattle, and the Moscow Nights, tours regularly in Unites States and Canada, as well as in Japan.
His recording of Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Debussy (for Lyrinx) have received the highest distinctions from the musical press. Among his recent recordings are the chamber music of Ravel (Saphir Productions), two Mozart CD’s with Michel Portal and members of Ysaÿe Quartet. The year 2009 saw the appearance of the first volume of Jean-Claude Pennetier’s complete recording of the piano works of Fauré, of which he is one of today’s most eminent interpreters, this release on the Mirare label was awarded a Diapason d’Or. The Gabriel Fauré’s Complete Piano Music vol.2 has just been released. His interpretation of Schubert is also a reference ; a CD dedicated to this composer appeared in 2010 still for Mirare and distinguished by a « Diapason d’Or ».
« Pennetier shines a clear light into the liquid depths of a musical enigma »
Gramophone – December 2008
