Stepan Simonian to Lead Masterclasses at ClaviCologne 2026

Acclaimed pianist and pedagogue Stepan Simonian will join ClaviCologne 2026 as a masterclass professor, offering participants the opportunity to work with one of the most distinguished interpreters of the German piano tradition of his generation.

Born in 1981, Simonian studied at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory under Pavel Nersessian before continuing his education with the renowned pianist Evgeni Koroliov at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. This exceptional artistic lineage has shaped his deep affinity for the music of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms, repertoire for which he is especially celebrated.

Simonian gained international recognition as the Silver Medal winner of the International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition Leipzig in 2010, one of the world's most prestigious music competitions. His achievements also include top prizes at the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition and the José Iturbi International Piano Competition in the United States, as well as the Berenberg Cultural Prize in Hamburg and a prize at the Aram Khachaturian International Piano Competition.

As a performer, he has appeared at leading festivals and concert halls across Europe, including Bachfest Leipzig, La Roque d’Anthéron, Piano aux Jacobins, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Laeiszhalle Hamburg, and Prinzregententheater Munich. He has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as Sinfonia Varsovia, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow State Chamber Orchestra, and the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra Leipzig.

Particularly renowned for his interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach, Simonian's acclaimed recording of the complete Bach Keyboard Toccatas received outstanding reviews from international critics, who praised both his intellectual depth and artistic insight.

Alongside his concert career, Simonian has devoted himself to teaching and has served since 2009 as a Professor at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, where he teaches both piano performance and chamber music. His participation in ClaviCologne 2026 will provide young pianists with the rare opportunity to learn from a musician celebrated for combining scholarly understanding with exceptional artistry.