D U O T A L & G R O E T H U Y S E N
The Israeli pianist Yaara Tal and her German partner Andreas Groethuysen form one of the worldwide leading piano duos. While working on their solo careers they discovered that their musical talents match perfectly well when they play together as a duo. They dedicated themselves mainly to thighly demanding compositions for one piano four-hands and found an unanimously enthusiastic echo by public and press.
The duo Tal & Groethuysen is performing at so prominent venues as Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Philharmonies Berlin, Cologne and Munich, Bologna Festival, Carinthischer Sommer, Schubertiade, Feldkirch, Teatro della Pergola Firenze, Musikhalle Hamburg, Hongkong Arts Festival, Brucknerfest Linz, Wigmore Hall London, Ludwigsburger Festspiele, Chatelet Paris, Rudolfinum Prague, Istituzione Universitaria Roma, Mozartwoche Salzburg, Liederhalle Stuttgart, NHK Tokyo, Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Musiksommer etc.
Both artists have released numerous recordings with SONY CLASSICAL (partly as world premiere recordings like C. Cerny, M. Reger, F. Mendelssohn, Th. Gouvy) four of which received the "Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik". In 1997 they completed the worldwide first integral recording of Schubert's piano compositions for four hands, a series of 7 CDs which won the "Echo"-Prize of the German Phono Academy and the Cannes Classical Award 1998. The last release of the Duo includes the world premier recording of works by Richard Wagner in four-hand piano transcriptions made by himself and other composers.
Yaara Tal, born in Tel Aviv, gave her first public concert at the age of seven. Throughout her youth, she was sponsored by the American-Israel Cultural Foundation and continued to win scholarships and musical awards. She studied with Asriel Beresowski, Ilona Vincze and Arie Vardi at the Music Academy in Tel Aviv and graduated with honors in piano and composition. On scholarship from the "Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst" (DAAD), Yaara Tal came to Germany to complete her studies, attending the masterclasses of Hugo Stuerer, Ludwig Hoffmann and Peter Feuchtwanger. At the same time she started giving concerts and making recordings for radio and television.
Andreas Groethuysen, born in Munich, first decided to become a pianist after he had explored other subjects, studying the piano with Ludwig Hoffmann in Munich. Having graduated with honors and having been awarded a scholarship from the "Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes" he continued his studies in London with Peter Feuchtwanger. Being chosen for a nationwide selection of young artists he could initiate his wide activities as soloist, with orchestral concerts, recitals and chamber music, radio and record productions.