Matthieu Idmtal

Matthieu Idmtal has become a recognized name on the national and international scene. The press and audiences have witnessed his distinctive musical personality and praised his highly sensitive interpretations. Winner of more than 15 international competitions, Matthieu Idmtal has been a guest on the main Belgian stages such as Bozar, Flagey, De Bijloke, De Singel, Concertgebouw Brugge, Philharmonie de Liège, Handelsbeurs,… and has taken part in international festivals such as Festival Klara, Festival Musiq’3, Les Sommets du Classique (Switzerland), Palermo Classica (Italy), Musicales and Côte Chalonnaise (France), Les Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad (Switzerland), Festival Musical d’Arcangues (France), Festival Zeeuwsch-Vlaanderen (Netherlands), Festival en Poitou (France), Les Festivals de Wallonie,… The young pianist now has three CDs to his credit: the complete sonatas for violin and piano by E. Grieg together with violinist Maya Levy (2017), the 12 Etudes op. 8 and 24 Preludes, op. 11 by A. Scriabin (2018) and the Piano Sonata op. 7 & 14 Lyrische Stücke by E. Grieg (2021), published by Piano Classics. These recordings quickly received high critical acclaim, such as “This is certainly one of Scriabin’s best CDs of the last decade” (De Muze), and “He sublimely combines beauty of sound with expression. His playing encompasses a varied and colorful touch, flexible phrasing, natural rubato, elaborately crafted dynamics, and infectious imagination. Idmtal is a poet on the piano.” (Rivista Stretto). Her last two CDs were awarded the “Choice of Klara” prize by the national radio station Radio Klara and received a five-star review by the prestigious music magazine “Classica”. His recording of music entirely dedicated to Alexander Scriabin was highly acclaimed, and in recent years Matthieu Idmtal has established himself as one of the leading interpreters and representatives of his music. He has given numerous recitals entirely dedicated to the Russian composer and has performed several times for the European Scriabin Society. In recent seasons Matthieu Idmtal has given solo recitals and concerts with orchestra in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland, Latvia and Spain. In addition to his solo concerts, he enjoys playing chamber music; in fact, he has won numerous awards in this field with his piano duo with Anastasia Kozhushko, as well as in a duo with violinist Maya Levy. Such awards include first prizes in competitions such as “Youth ‘n Classic” (Belgium), “Concorso Internazionale San Cristoforo” (Italy), or the press and audience prize at the “Almere International Chamber Music Competition” (Netherlands). In 2017, Matthieu Idmtal was awarded the “Supernova”: a prize awarded by Belgian music critics and programmers, in collaboration with the main national classical music radio stations, Radio Klara and Musiq’3. The prize includes a concert tour across the country. Matthieu Idmtal’s repertoire ranges from the Baroque period to the music of the present day, but has always had a particular focus on (post-)Romantic music, with Frédéric Chopin and Alexander Scriabin as major composers. His affinity with the former led him to create the “Brussels Chopin Days”: a series of international concerts dedicated to F. Chopin, of which Matthieu Idmtal has been artistic director since 2013. He is also committed to bringing lesser-known works to the spotlight and has an interest in jazz music. His experience makes him a regular guest to hold masterclasses, as well as being a jury member in national and international music competitions. Matthieu Idmtal feels infinite gratitude towards his teachers Frima Nakhimovitch, Maria Andreeva and Vitaly Samoshko, and is grateful for every inspiring and meaningful musical encounter that influenced him to become the musician he is today.