Jean-Yves Thibaudet to Perform at SPA in Houston, 11/8

One of today's most sought-after pianists, Jean-Yves Thibaudet returns to Houston for a recital concert on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. in Jones Hall, presented by Society for the Performing.

Thibaudet's performance will feature an all-Debussy program including Preludes: Deuxieme Livre/Book 2; Suite Bergamasque; Estampes; and L'isle joyeuse.

Famous for sporting red socks and a Vivienne Westwood wardrobe while seated at the keyboard, the French pianist was first debuted by SPA in 1990. Thibaudet has the rare ability to combine poetic musical sensibilities with dazzling technical prowess. His musical depth and natural charisma have underlined a career with global impact, including 30 years of performing around the world and more than 40 recorded albums.

Thibaudet's masterful playing can be heard on the motion picture soundtracks of Pride & Prejudice, Atonement (the score won an Academy Award!) and the Tom Hanks/Sandra Bullock movie, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Having recently performed as the featured soloist with the New York Philharmonic's PBS-televised New Year's Eve Gala and as soloist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Hall, Thibaudet is recognized as one of the world's leading pianists.

Born in Lyon, France, his impressive career began at the age of five. At 12, Thibaudet entered the Paris Conservatoire to study with Aldo Ciccolini and Lucette Descaves, a friend and collaborator of Maurice Ravel. At 15 he won the premier Prix du Conservatoire, and three years later he won the Young Concert Artists Trust auditions in New York.

Since then, Thibaudet has performed regularly throughout Europe, North America, Australia and the Far East, collaborating with virtually every major orchestra and conductor including Marin Alsop, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Herbert Blomstedt, Riccardo Chailly, Charles Dutoit, Valery Gergiev, James Levine, Gustavo Dudamel and Tilson Thomas. Equally at home in chamber music, recitals and the orchestral repertoire, he has appeared and recorded with artists including Cecilia Bartoli, Brigitte Fassbaender, Renée Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Angelika Kirchschlager, Yuri Bashmet, Joshua Bell, Truls Mørk and the Rossetti String Quartet.

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