Alexander Gurning
Pianist
Alexander Gurning's musical journey begins with a solid classical training. His musical horizon then expanded through his repertoire as a soloist, chamber musician, jazz musician, contemporary creator, and film music. This makes him one of the most eclectic and original artists of his generation.
Alexander Gurning was born in Brussels in 1973, to Indonesian and Polish parents. His musical studies are strongly influenced by French and Russian influences: he began his piano studies with François Henri Aubin and continued his training at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels with Nicole Henriot-Schweitzer and Eugène Moguilevsky, whom he became assistant to. He then furthered his studies at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow.
His discography also includes chamber music with Renaud
and Gautier Capuçon (EMI), Sébastien Walnier (Cyprès), Satenik
Khourdoïan (Fuga Libera) only piano repertoire with the Variations
Goldberg by J-S Bach (Avanti Classics). His first solo album is part
from the “Martha Argerich Presents” (EMI) collection and he performed under
the same prestigious patronage at the Lugano Festival, Beppu Festival,
Saratoga, and Hamburg. His collaboration with the Soledad ensemble, with
which he recorded seven albums, opening it to Latin American music,
improvisation and later, jazz.
His career is punctuated by numerous participations in festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein, La Roque d'Anthéron, Tanglewood, and the Montreal Jazz Festival. He has also performed on stages such as the Suntory Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Berlin Philharmonie, and has collaborated with the Philadelphia, Dallas, RSI, Radio France Philharmonic, and Lausanne Chamber Orchestra.
As a composer and arranger, Alexander Gurning's productions have served musicians such as Evgeni Kissin, Misha Maïsky, Martha Argerich, the Soledad ensemble, the Elsa de Lacerda/Pierre Solot duo, and the Let's Kletz trio.
His atypical recitals are driven by his constantly unsatisfied desire to travel through languages and cultures, joyfully blending Bach, Debussy, Coltrane, improvisations, and original compositions tinged with impressionism, romanticism, and groove.
Since 2022, Alexander Gurning has been professor of piano at the Conservatory Royal of Liège.
